This process may be performed either before or after splitting. In the presence of a catalyst, a reaction is conducted between the ethylenic double bond of an unsaturated fat and hydrogen. A typical Hydrogenation Process is conducted at temperatures ranging from 180 degrees to 250 degrees Celsius. The ideal pressure is between 10 to 25 bars in the presence of a catalyst supported on silica gel.
The hydrogenation process comprises of an exothermic reaction and the heat is used for pre heating the fat. The resulting fat which is hydrogenated is filtered followed by post refining by filtering through activated bleaching earths to remove any trace of nickel.