On March 24th, under the theme “Technology Leading the Future”, the “Seminar on Eco-friendly and Pollution-free Utilization Technology Application in Oil and Fat Plant Soap Foot” was successfully held in Beihai, Guangxi. The event was organized by the Oil and Fat Sub-Association of China Grain and Oil Association, co-sponsored by Guangxi Senzhou Bio-Tech Co., Ltd. and Zhengzhou Ocean Oil Engineering Co., Ltd. More than 150 experts, entrepreneurs, and technical professionals from national universities, research institutes, and the oil and fat industry gathered to discuss and collaborate on the safe utilization of soap foot, aiming to enhance environmental protection and technological advancements in the field of soap foot processing in China.

The seminar was chaired by Zhang Yixin, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the Oil and Fat Sub-Association of China Grain and Oil Association. Professor He Dongping, President of the Oil and Fat Sub-Association of China Grain and Oil Association, Hou Guiguang, Director of the Comprehensive Department of Solid Waste and Chemical Management Technology Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and Yu Kun, Deputy Secretary-General of the Beihai Municipal People’s Government, attended and delivered speeches. Wang Ruiyuan, Honorary President of the Oil and Fat Sub-Association of China Grain and Oil Association, Professor Liu Yulan from Henan University of Technology, Qiu Zhoulon, Chairman of Guangxi Senzhou Group, and Li Puxuan, Chairman of Zhengzhou Ocean, served as Senzhou experts and delivered keynote speeches.

The meeting was chaired by Zhang Yixin, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the Oil and Fat Sub-Association of China Grain and Oil Association.

Wang Ruiyuan, the Honorary President of the Oil and Fat Branch of the China Cereals and Oils Association, pointed out in an online video presentation titled “The Oil Processing Industry Should Pay Attention to the Safe and Effective Utilization of Soapstock” that China consumes over 40 million tons of edible vegetable oil annually, with approximately 85% of fats and oils requiring varying degrees of refining. During the alkali refining and deacidification process, approximately 6% of soapstock is generated per ton of oil and fat. Therefore, it is estimated that the oil processing industry produces 2 million tons of soapstock annually. Soapstock resources are considerable and valuable social resources that should be effectively utilized.

“The environmental pollution caused by the waste acid solution produced during the production of acidified oil from soapstock in the oil industry has attracted widespread attention, and national and local environmental protection departments attach great importance to it.” In order to protect ecological environment safety, it is necessary to further raise awareness of safeguarding ecological environment safety, accelerate the research and development and promotion of new technologies and methods for soapstock utilization, and ensure that existing acidic waste solutions are treated in a “harmless” manner to meet local emission standards. It is also essential to actively adopt advanced technologies and equipment and reform traditional soapstock utilization processing techniques.

The “Eco-friendly Purification Technology Development and Application of Soapstock Utilization as By-products in Plant Oil Processing” project jointly developed by Guangxi Senzhou Biological Technology Co., Ltd. and Zhengzhou Yuanyang Oil Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. has solved long-standing industry challenges and provided valuable experience for the full utilization of soapstock.

Honorary President Wang Ruiyuan of the Oil and Fat Branch gave a special presentation.

Professor Liu Yulan from Henan University of Technology proposed in the report that the efficient utilization of by-products in oil processing technology plays a crucial role in achieving comprehensive quality improvement and efficiency enhancement in the oil and fat industry, promoting the development of new productive forces. With the booming development of the fine chemical industry and the biodiesel industry, there is a strong market demand for soapstock processing products such as acidulated oil. In industrial applications, soapstock can be used to produce mixed fatty acids, oleic acid, stearic acid, etc., which are widely used in rubber, daily chemicals, coatings, papermaking, textile, leather, and other fields, representing high-value products.

On October 18, 2021, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the “Action Plan for Grain Conservation,” which requires “effective utilization of by-products from grain and oil processing to produce edible products, functional substances, and industrial products.” Therefore, increasing the technological research and development and promoting the comprehensive utilization of by-products in oilseed and oil processing is of great significance in enhancing the utilization value of oil and fat processing by-products, protecting the environment, and promoting high-quality industry development.

Professor Liu Yulan from Henan University of Technology gave a special presentation.

The project “Development and Application of Environmental Protection Purification Technology for Utilization of Soapstock by-product in Plant Oil Processing” jointly developed by Guangxi Senzhou Biology and Zhengzhou Ocean Oils aims to seize the opportunity and take the lead. Through specific production technology conditions and the development of related complete sets of equipment, the project successfully adopted organic acid (acetic acid) to replace the traditional processing method of using concentrated sulfuric acid to produce acidulated oil. This effectively addressed the long-standing pollution issues caused by the production of acidulated oil from soapstock, realizing efficient resource utilization and stable high-quality products. As a result, the project won the Second Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress of the China Grain and Oil Society in 2022.

Chairman of Zhengzhou Ocean and specially appointed expert from Guangxi Senzhou Biology, Li Puxuan, mentioned in the presentation on “Organic Acid Method for Oil Soapstock Processing Technology and Overall Introduction” that since the project started trial production in March 2022 and commenced full operation in June, it has been running smoothly for a year and a half. The overall production and operation control has been stable during this period. Calculated with an average soapstock moisture content of 55%, the yield of finished acidulated oil reached around 45%, showing significant economic benefits. The quality of the produced acidulated oil is stable, and the by-product liquid sodium salt has been favored by various wastewater treatment plants, leading to a high demand for the products.

Chairman Li Puxuan of Zhengzhou Ocean provides an overall introduction to the organic acid method for oil soapstock processing technology.

Chairman Li Puxuan of Zhengzhou Yuanyang sincerely expressed: “Zhengzhou Yuanyang Oils is willing to cooperate with domestic and foreign enterprises who are committed to addressing environmental pollution issues in the field of oil soapstock processing. The collaboration models can be flexible and diverse, including but not limited to joint ventures, processing on behalf, technology equity participation, or patent licensing.”

Since 2008, Zhengzhou Yuanyang and Guangxi Senzhou Biology have been engaged in the production, supply, installation, and maintenance of acidulated oil factory equipment for Wilmar’s factories in Fangchenggang, Aksu, Quanzhou Fuhai, and other locations, as well as providing equipment and technical support for the new technology for palm oil processing (high temperature and high pressure treatment technology) at Wilmar’s factory in Taizhou. At the end of 2018, the jointly developed innovative and pollution-free high-tech technology for soapstock byproduct by Senzhou Group and Zhengzhou Yuanyang successfully underwent pilot testing in China, providing strong support for technological innovation in the industry.

Chairman Qiu Zhoulong of Guangxi Senzhou Group delivers a speech.

During the meeting, the delegates visited and inspected the Beihai factory of Guangxi Senzhou Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and engaged in on-site exchanges.

Chairman Li Puxuan of Zhengzhou Yuanyang exchanges views with the delegates on site.

The successful hosting of this symposium not only effectively promoted academic exchanges in the field of oil and soap foot processing, injecting new vitality and impetus into the safe, green, intensive, and efficient development of China’s grain and oil industry but also played a positive role in promoting technological innovation, structural transformation, and green development in China’s oil and soap foot processing industry. As co-organizers of the conference and advocates and promoters of environmentally friendly and pollution-free utilization of oil and soap foot, Guangxi Senzhou Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and Zhengzhou Yuanyang Oil Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. will actively respond to ecological environment protection and resource recycling industry policies, develop and guide industry technological innovation and development, and strive to become leaders in the technology of soap foot and fatty acids industry.