What is Palm oil viscosity?

The viscosity of palm oil varies depending on its temperature and composition. At room temperature (25°C), the viscosity of refined, bleached, and deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) is typically around 55-65 centipoise (cP). However, this value can change significantly with temperature; for example, the viscosity of RBDPO decreases to around 20 cP at 50°C and increases to over 100 cP at 10°C.

The fatty acid composition of palm oil can also affect its viscosity. Palmitic acid, which is the major fatty acid in palm oil, has a higher melting point and, therefore, a higher viscosity than oleic acid. Thus, palm oil with a higher palmitic acid content will have a higher viscosity than palm oil with a higher oleic acid content.

In general, the viscosity of palm oil is relatively high compared to other vegetable oils, such as soybean oil or sunflower oil. This is due to the high content of saturated fatty acids in palm oil, which tend to have higher melting points and, therefore, higher viscosities than unsaturated fatty acids.