Palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the oil palm, Elaeis guineensis. Unlike many other vegetable oils, the extraction is done without using solvents. Palm oil is the leading agricultural crop of Malaysia, which is the world's largest producer. The oil, from the flesh of the fruit, is refined to remove free fatty acids, color and unwanted flavor. It can be fractionated into many grades including olein (liquid oil) and stearin (solids), depending on the solid fat level needed for functionality.
The fatty acid composition of palm oil is a mixture of 10% polyunsaturated, 40% monounsaturated and 50% saturated fatty acids. It is about 40% oleic, 10% linoleic, 45% palmitic and 5% stearic acid.