Oleochemicals, derived from natural fats and oils, play a crucial role in the edible oil refining industry. Key processes include fat splitting, where triglycerides are hydrolyzed to produce fatty acids and glycerine. Fat distillation or fractionation follows, separating these components based on their volatility and molecular weight, yielding pure fatty acids and glycerine fractions. Hydrogenation is another vital process, where unsaturated fats are converted into saturated fats by adding hydrogen, enhancing stability and shelf-life.

Inter-esterification modifies the physical properties of fats by rearranging fatty acid chains, creating tailored fats for specific applications. Glycerolysis involves reacting triglycerides with glycerine to produce monoglycerides and diglycerides, which are important emulsifiers. Glycerine recovery and glycerine refining are critical for purifying the by-product glycerine obtained during these processes, making it suitable for use in food, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. These processes highlight the versatility of oleochemicals in producing a wide range of valuable products from edible oils.