A palm kernel is the seed core found inside the oil palm fruit. The kernel is located in the innermost part of the fruit, protected by a hard shell (shell), and serves as the raw material for producing **Palm Kernel Oil (PKO)**. The oil palm plant itself has the scientific name **Elaeis guineensis**.

Location of the Kernel in the Palm Fruit

The structure of the palm fruit from the outside in:

1. Outer skin (exocarp)
2. Fruit flesh (mesocarp) ? produces CPO
3. Hard shell (shell)
4. Kernel (kernel) ? produces PKO

Thus, the kernel is different from the fruit flesh, which produces CPO.

What Is the Kernel Processed Into?

The kernel is processed at a kernel crushing plant to produce4:

1. Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) ? palm kernel oil
2. Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE) ? kernel cake/residue for animal feed

PKO has a different fatty acid composition from CPO and is widely used for soap, detergents, cosmetics, and oleochemical products4.

Why Is the Kernel Important?

1. The second source of oil after CPO
2. Has fairly high economic value
3. Its derivative products are widely used by non-food industries

In the palm oil industry, the kernel is a by-product of Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) processing at the palm oil mill.

References

FAO. Small-scale Palm Oil Processing in Africa.
https://www.fao.org/3/y4355e/y4355e03.htm
FAO Ecocrop Database. Elaeis guineensis.
https://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/cropView?id=1069
Corley, R.H.V. & Tinker, P.B. (2016). The Oil Palm (5th Edition). Wiley.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781118953297
4 Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB). Palm Kernel and Its Products.
https://mpob.gov.my/palm-kernel-products/