Degumming of Vegetable Oil Plant & MCT Plant: Complete Guide with Mectech

If you are looking to set up a vegetable oil processing plant in India or anywhere in the world, two things are very important — proper degumming of vegetable oil and the right MCT oil production process.

In this blog, we will explain both of these in simple words and show how Mectech, one of India's most trusted edible oil plant manufacturers, can help you build the perfect plant.

What is Degumming of Vegetable Oil?

Vegetable oils like soybean oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil, and palm oil contain natural impurities called phospholipids and gums. These impurities can make oil cloudy, reduce shelf life, and create refining problems.

Before further processing, these gums must be removed. This process is called degumming of vegetable oil.

Degumming is usually the first step in vegetable oil refining and prepares crude oil for neutralization, bleaching, and deodorization (NBDB process or physical refining).

Types of Degumming Used in Vegetable Oil Plants

At Mectech, every degumming plant is designed based on the type of oil being processed. Whether it is water degumming or enzymatic degumming, Mectech provides the right solution with high efficiency and low oil loss.

Why is Degumming So Important in Oil Refining?

Many people ask why degumming is necessary before oil refining. Here are the main reasons:

• Gums in crude oil can damage refining equipment and reduce plant efficiency.
• Phospholipids affect oil colour, taste, and stability.
• Proper degumming increases lecithin yield.
• It reduces alkali consumption during neutralization.
• Degummed oil has a longer shelf life and meets international food safety standards.

Key Insight

In India, crude soybean oil typically contains 1–3% phospholipids. Without proper degumming, refining losses increase significantly. A well-designed Mectech degumming plant can bring phosphorus levels below 5 ppm, meeting EU food-grade standards.

What is an MCT Oil Plant?

MCT stands for Medium-Chain Triglycerides. MCT oil is a special type of fat derived from coconut oil or palm kernel oil and is widely used in the health and nutrition industry.

Applications of MCT Oil

• Sports nutrition and keto diet products
• Baby food and infant formula
• Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications
• Cosmetics and personal care products
• Hospital and clinical nutrition

An MCT oil plant processes coconut oil or palm kernel oil to extract medium-chain fatty acids (C8 and C10) and re-esterify them into pure MCT oil.

How Does an MCT Oil Plant Work?

Step 1: Fat Splitting / Hydrolysis

Coconut oil is split into fatty acids and glycerol using high-pressure steam in a continuous fat splitter.

Mectech's fat splitting columns operate at 260°C and 60 bar pressure, providing high conversion rates.

Step 2: Fatty Acid Distillation

Mixed fatty acids are distilled under vacuum to separate C8 (caprylic acid) and C10 (capric acid) from longer-chain fatty acids.

Step 3: Esterification

Purified C8 and C10 fatty acids react with glycerol to produce MCT oil.

Step 4: Purification

The crude MCT oil undergoes washing, drying, and deodorization to achieve 99%+ purity.

Mectech: India's Leading Edible Oil Plant Manufacturer

Mectech Process Engineers Pvt. Ltd. is one of India's most experienced companies in edible oil plant manufacturing and engineering.

With more than 30 years of experience and over 500 plants delivered worldwide, Mectech is trusted by large corporations and small businesses alike.

What Mectech Offers

Why Choose Mectech for Your Degumming or MCT Plant?

• 30+ Years of Industry Experience in edible oil engineering.
• Custom Plant Design based on raw material, capacity, budget, and product requirements.
• Turnkey Project Execution from concept to commissioning.
• Global Footprint across India, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
• After-Sales Support including technical assistance and training.
• Energy-Efficient Technology to reduce operating costs.

Ready to Build Your Edible Oil Plant?

Mectech has delivered 500+ successful edible oil processing plants across India and abroad.

Whether you need a Degumming Plant, MCT Oil Plant, Refinery, or a complete turnkey solution, Mectech engineers are ready to help.

Get a Free Consultation Today

Website: mectech.co.in
Email: info@mectech.co.in

Conclusion

Degumming of vegetable oil is the foundation of high-quality edible oil production. Without proper degumming, refining becomes costly and inefficient.

Likewise, building an MCT oil plant requires precise engineering and expertise in fatty acid chemistry.

Mectech combines decades of experience with modern engineering to deliver efficient, reliable, and internationally compliant plants.

Whether you are a first-time investor or an existing refinery looking to upgrade, Mectech has the right solution.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is degumming of vegetable oil?

Degumming removes phospholipids, gums, and impurities from crude vegetable oil before refining.

Why is degumming important before oil refining?

It prevents equipment damage, improves efficiency, and enhances oil quality.

What is an MCT oil plant?

An MCT oil plant produces Medium-Chain Triglycerides from coconut oil or palm kernel oil through hydrolysis, distillation, and esterification.

What types of degumming does Mectech offer?

Water degumming, acid degumming, enzymatic degumming, and soft degumming.

How big a plant can Mectech design?

From 10 TPD small-scale units to 1000+ TPD industrial plants.

Does Mectech supply turnkey projects?

Yes. Mectech provides complete engineering, equipment supply, installation, commissioning, and training.

Can Mectech build a degumming plant outside India?

Yes. Mectech supplies plants globally and provides full export support.

What is the difference between water degumming and acid degumming?

Water degumming removes hydrated phospholipids using water, while acid degumming uses citric or phosphoric acid to convert non-hydratable phospholipids before removal.