The oil is extracted from the mesocarp of the palm fruit to be screened and clarified. The resulting CPO is then processed in refineries into edible oils such as cooking oil and margarine, oleo chemicals for detergents and lubricants, biodiesel, and lauric acids for cosmetics and soaps.

It’s also known as “red palm oil” because of its intense red color, which comes from its high content of inactive vitamin A and carotenoids.