Palm Oil Specifications & Grades: CPO, RBD Palm Olein, Palm Stearin Technical Guide

Palm Oil Specifications & Grades — Complete Technical Reference 2026

Palm oil is traded in multiple distinct grades, each with its own specification table. Buyers sourcing CPO, RBD Palm Olein, or Palm Stearin need to understand the key parameters — FFA, DOBI, Iodine Value, Peroxide Value, color, and melting point — to evaluate quality, negotiate price, and ensure the oil meets their application requirements.

This guide provides a complete palm oil specification table for every major export grade, explains what each parameter means, and clarifies how palm oil grades differ from one another.

Palm Oil Grades — Overview

Palm oil is processed into a hierarchy of grades through refining, bleaching, deodorization, and fractionation:

Crude Palm Oil (CPO) — the unrefined base product from oil palm fruit pressing
RBD Palm Oil — Refined, Bleached and Deodorized palm oil (before fractionation)
RBD Palm Olein — the liquid fraction after fractionation; the world's most traded edible oil
RBD Palm Stearin — the solid fraction after fractionation; used in bakery and confectionery fats
Palm FFA 70% (PFAD) — Palm Fatty Acid Distillate; a refining by-product used in oleochemicals and soap

Palm Oil Specification Table — All Major Grades

Parameter	CPO	RBD Palm Oil	RBD Palm Olein	RBD Palm Stearin
FFA (as palmitic acid)	3.0–5.0% max	0.10% max	0.10% max	0.10% max
Moisture & Impurities	0.25% max	0.10% max	0.10% max	0.10% max
Iodine Value (IV)	50–55	50–55	56–65	33–45
Peroxide Value (PV)	10 meq/kg max	2.0 meq/kg max	2.0 meq/kg max	2.0 meq/kg max
DOBI	—	≥2.5	≥2.5	—
Color (Lovibond 1")	—	3.0R max	3.0R max	—
Melting Point (Slip)	33–39°C	33–39°C	18–23°C	44–56°C
Saponification Value	194–202	195–205	195–205	195–205
Unsaponifiable Matter	1.2% max	1.2% max	1.2% max	1.2% max

Standard export specification for RBD Palm Olein (the most widely traded palm oil grade): FFA ≤0.10%, IV 56–65, PV ≤2.0 meq O₂/kg, DOBI ≥2.5, M&I ≤0.10%, Color ≤3.0R (Lovibond 1-inch cell), Melting Point 18–23°C.

Understanding Palm Oil Grade Designations: CP6, CP8, CP10

The "CP" number used in RBD Palm Olein specifications refers to the Cloud Point — the temperature at which the oil begins to become cloudy or crystallize. This is a critical specification for buyers, as it determines the oil's behavior in cool storage and distribution environments.

Palm Olein Grade	Cloud Point	IV (approx.)	Best Markets
CP6	≤6°C	60–65	Europe, temperate climates
CP8	≤8°C	58–63	Middle East, South Asia
CP10	≤10°C	56–60	Tropical Asia, Africa

CP8 (also called "Double Fractionated" olein) is the most widely specified grade for export from Thailand and Malaysia. CP10 is produced from single fractionation and is the lowest-cost palm olein grade. CP6 involves additional fractionation stages and commands a small premium.

Key Specification Parameters Explained

FFA (Free Fatty Acids)

FFA is the primary quality and freshness indicator for palm oil. It measures the percentage of fatty acids that have separated from the triglyceride molecule due to hydrolysis (typically caused by heat, moisture, or time).

FFA ranges by grade: - CPO: 3.0–5.0% (base FFA for pricing; each 0.1% above 3.5% base typically attracts a price penalty) - RBD Palm Olein: ≤0.10% (ideally ≤0.07% at time of shipment) - RBD Palm Stearin: ≤0.10%

Low FFA indicates a fresh, well-refined oil. FFA above specification is a quality rejection criterion.

DOBI (Deterioration of Bleachability Index)

DOBI is a quality index specific to palm oil that measures the oil's refining quality and the preservation of carotenes. A high DOBI (≥2.5) indicates fresh, well-produced CPO that will refine cleanly into a light-colored RBD product. A low DOBI suggests overheated or degraded CPO that will produce darker, lower-quality refined oil.

DOBI Value	Quality Indication
≥3.0	Excellent — premium CPO
2.5–3.0	Good — standard export grade
2.0–2.5	Acceptable — may affect RBD color
<2.0	Poor — likely to produce dark RBD; price penalty applies

DOBI is particularly important for buyers purchasing CPO for their own refining operations.

Iodine Value (IV)

Iodine Value measures the degree of unsaturation — the proportion of double bonds in the fatty acid chains. In palm oil, IV is primarily determined by the ratio of oleic acid to palmitic acid.

What IV tells you about palm oil grade: - Higher IV = more liquid at lower temperature (more oleic acid content) - Lower IV = more solid (more palmitic acid, higher saturated fat)

RBD Palm Olein with IV 60–65 remains liquid at lower temperatures than IV 56–58 olein — important for buyers in temperate climates.

Peroxide Value (PV)

PV measures primary oxidation products. Fresh RBD palm oil should have PV below 1.0 meq O₂/kg at time of production. Values above 2.0 meq O₂/kg indicate oxidation in progress.

A PV above 5.0 meq/kg in a refined oil is typically a rejection criterion in food-grade specifications.

Color (Lovibond)

Lovibond color is measured in a 1-inch glass cell. The red value (R) is the primary measure for palm oil. Standard specification: ≤3.0R for RBD Palm Olein and RBD Palm Oil. Values above 3.5R suggest inadequate bleaching during refining.

Melting Point (Slip Point)

The slip melting point determines practical handling and application suitability: - RBD Palm Olein (18–23°C): liquid in tropical markets, may cloud in temperate climates — pump-able in ambient tropical storage - RBD Palm Stearin (44–56°C): requires heated storage and handling; solid at room temperature in all climates

RBD Palm Stearin — Specification & Applications

RBD Palm Stearin is the solid fraction produced during the fractionation of RBD Palm Oil. It is a zero-trans-fat alternative to partially hydrogenated fats, widely used in:

Bakery fats and shortening: provides plasticity and structure at room temperature
Margarine and table fats: blended with liquid oils to achieve target melting profiles
Confectionery coatings: used in compound coatings as a cocoa butter substitute
Soap manufacturing: high palmitic acid content makes it an ideal soap-making feedstock
Industrial fats: lubricants and oleochemical processing

RBD Palm Stearin Specification

Parameter	Specification
FFA (as palmitic acid)	≤0.10%
Moisture & Impurities	≤0.10%
Iodine Value (IV)	33–45 g I₂/100g
Peroxide Value	≤2.0 meq O₂/kg
Slip Melting Point	44–56°C
Saponification Value	195–205 mg KOH/g
Palmitic Acid (C16:0)	55–65%
Oleic Acid (C18:1)	20–28%

Crude Palm Oil (CPO) Specification — Export Grade

CPO is the unrefined product extracted directly from oil palm fruit. It is bought by refineries, oleochemical plants, and biodiesel producers.

CPO Export Specification (Thailand / MPOB Standard)

Parameter	Specification	Notes
FFA (as palmitic acid)	3.0–5.0% max	Primary pricing variable
Moisture & Impurities	0.25% max	Combined
Iodine Value	50–55 g I₂/100g	Confirms authentic CPO profile
DOBI	≥2.5 preferred	Quality indicator for refiners
Saponification Value	194–202 mg KOH/g	—
Peroxide Value	≤10 meq O₂/kg	—
Unsaponifiable Matter	≤1.2%	—
Color	Orange-red	Not a rejection criterion for CPO

Pricing note on CPO: CPO is typically priced against a base FFA (usually 3.5% or 5.0%). Every 0.1% FFA above the base attracts a price deduction; FFA below base attracts a premium. DOBI below 2.3 may also attract a quality penalty in refined-product contracts.

How to Read a Palm Oil Certificate of Analysis (COA)

When you receive a COA for a palm oil shipment, check each parameter against your purchase contract specification. Key action thresholds:

Parameter	Action Threshold	Response
FFA >0.12% (RBD grade)	Out of spec	Reject or negotiate price discount
DOBI <2.3	Quality concern	Request re-test or price adjustment
PV >3.0 meq/kg	Oxidation concern	Reject if above 5.0; monitor if 2–3
IV outside contracted range	Off-grade	Reject or renegotiate application
Color >4.0R (Lovibond 1")	Over-spec	Reject for food retail; may accept for industrial

Palm Oil Grade Selection Guide

Application	Recommended Grade	Key Spec
Retail cooking oil (tropical markets)	RBD Palm Olein CP8 or CP10	IV 58–65, FFA ≤0.10%
Retail cooking oil (temperate markets)	RBD Palm Olein CP6	IV 60–65, Cloud Point ≤6°C
Commercial deep frying	RBD Palm Olein CP8	IV 56–65, DOBI ≥2.5
Bakery fats / shortening	RBD Palm Stearin + Olein blend	IV 33–45 stearin; blend to target
Confectionery coatings	RBD Palm Stearin	High palmitic (55–65%), IV 33–42
Soap / oleochemicals	CPO or Palm FFA 70% (PFAD)	FFA ≥70% (PFAD); CPO FFA 3–5%
Refinery input	CPO	FFA ≤5%, DOBI ≥2.5
Margarine (zero-trans)	RBD Palm Stearin + Palm Olein	Blend IV 42–52

Summary

Palm oil grades span a full spectrum from crude CPO to fractionated RBD Palm Olein and RBD Palm Stearin, each with distinct specifications for FFA, DOBI, Iodine Value, Peroxide Value, color, and melting point. Selecting the correct palm oil grade for your application and verifying the COA against contracted specifications are the two most important buyer skills in palm oil procurement.