“The POTENTIAL of GALANGAL (Alipinia galanga) RHIZOME

as an ALTERNATIVE USED COOKING OIL PURIFIER”

A. Questions or Problems being Addressed

The increasing production of waste cooking oil is one of the common problem around

the world due to excessive use for household, restaurants and other industrial purposes.

Nowadays, used cooking oil is poured into the sewer system of the cities, which is very

harmful for environment and human health. However, reusing the oil in private households

and in deep-frying which is a common practice of food vendors to enhance the profit,

because used cooking oil is much cheaper than the unused one. Long-term utilization of

foods prepared by reusing oil can cause pathologies such as diabetes, hypertension, and

vascular inflammation. There is some evidence that highly oxidized fats (during frying, oils

are exposed to high temperatures in the presence of atmospheric oxygen) may have

carcinogenic properties that can cause cancer, and also atherosclerosis which can lead to

increase in bad cholesterol levels and blocking the arteries. Studies reveal that galangal

exhibited the highest anti-oxidant capacity, associated with the highest total phenolic content.

As an anti-oxidant galangal extracts can scavenge free radicals, increase anti-oxidant

enzymes, and inhibit lipid pre-oxidation.

In view of this, the researchers thought of how to utilize the used cooking oil so that

problems on waste can be minimized at the same time it can be recycled. Since, galangal

rhizome can inhibit pre-oxidation which can decrease fats that may have carcinogenic
properties, a study entitled “The Potential of Galangal (Alipinia galanga) Rhizome as an

Alternative Used Cooking Oil Purifier” was formulated by the researchers.

B. Goals/Objectives/Expected Outcomes/Hypotheses

Generally, this study aims to find out the effectiveness of galangal rhizome as

an alternative purifier for used cooking oil.

Specifically, this study sought to answers the following questions:

1. What is the mean peroxide value of used and unused cooking oil before and after the

treatment?

2. Is there a significant difference among the peroxide value of used cooking oil, unused

cooking oil and purified cooking oil?

3. Is there a significant difference among the density of used cooking oil, unused cooking

oil and purified cooking oil?

4. Is there a significant difference between the price of the unused cooking oil and the

purified one?

Hypotheses

1. There is no significant difference among the peroxide value of used cooking oil, unused

cooking oil and purified cooking oil.

2. There is no significant difference among the density of used cooking oil, commercial

cooking oil and purified cooking oil.

3. There is no significant difference between the price of the unused cooking oil and the

purified one.

C. Material and Methods

 13 liters of used cooking oil

 150ml of commercial palm cooking oil

 3 kg of galangal rhizome

 17 Airtight containers (250ml to 300ml capacity)

 Beaker

 Filter paper

 Strainer

 Gas stove

 Frying pan

 Weighing scale

 Knife

 Chopping Board

 Plastic Cups

 Thermometer

Gathering of Materials

 14 liters of used cooking oil will be obtained from a Jollibee Restaurant in La Carlota

City

 3kg of galangal rhizomes will be bought from Hinigaran Public Market

 Beaker will be borrowed from Science Laboratory

 The remaining materials will be borrowed from Presas’ Residence

Preparation of Containers
  The 17 airtight containers will be washed with running water and soap to remove dust

and dirt that can contaminate the samples. These containers will be sterilized.

 After washing, 15 containers will be labeled as “Purified cooking oil”, the 1 container

will be labeled as” Unused cooking oil” and the remaining container will be labeled as

“Used cooking oil.”

Preparation of Unused Cooking Oil

 150ml of commercial palm cooking oil will be stored on the airtight container that is

labeled “Unused Cooking Oil.”

Preparation of Plastic Cups

Applications Trials
75g of
galangal
rhizome
Trail 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
250ml of
used cooking
oil
125g of
galangal
rhizome
Trail 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
250ml of
used cooking
oil
175g of
galangal
rhizome
Trail 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5
250ml of
used cooking
oil

Preparation of Used Cooking Oil

 14 liters of used cooking oil will be strained to remove the excess food particles
Preparation of Galangal Rhizomes

 3kg of galangal rhizomes will be washed thoroughly with running water to remove dirt,

peeled, and will be chopped into cubes.

 It will be separated into 3 different ratios in 3 different applications with 10 trials each.

Purification of Used Cooking Oil

 For the first application, 250ml of used cooking oil will be heated at 100ºC in a frying

pan.

 75g of galangal rhizome from “Application 1” will be added to the used cooking oil and

the application will be left for 8minutes.

 After 8 minutes the gas stove will be turned off and the used cooking oil will be set aside

for cooling.

 The purified oil will be strained using a filter paper and a strainer to remove the galangal

rhizomes. The purified cooking oil will be measured by a beaker and will be recorded.

 It will be put back to the same pan and the same procedures will be applied in the

following trials. After that, the purified cooking oil will be stored on a clean and airtight

container labeled “Purified Cooking Oil (Application 1: Trial 1)” and so on.

 The same procedures will be applied in Application 2 with 125g of galangal rhizome and

in Application 3 with 175g of galangal rhizome.

 The Purified Cooking Oil will be brought to the laboratory for analysis together with the

commercial cooking oil and the remaining used cooking oil.

Disposal

 All materials will be cleaned and will be returned to the owner.

 All garbage will be disposed in a garbage can.

D. References

Ullah, Zahoor et al, (2014). “International Journal of Chemical Engineering and

Applications, Vol. 5, No. 2.” Retrieved last June 20, 2019 from
(http:/www.mendeley.com/catalogue/characterization-waste-palm-cooking-oil-biodesel-
production/)
Saraswat, Kriti (2017). “Reusing oil-why is it dangerous for your health?”. Retrieved last
June 20, 2019 from (https://www.thehealthsite.com/fitness/reusing-oil-why-is-it-
dangerous-for-your-health/)
Payri et al., (2004). “Maintenance costs and the rates to be paid for the purification of the
water.” Retrieved last August 16, 2018 from (https://www.environmental-
expert.com/Files/0/articles/19099/Biodiesel_oil.pdf)
Azpilicueta and Remirez, (1991). “Carcinogenic Properties.” Retrieved last August 16, 2018
from (https://www.environmental-
zexpert.com/Files/0/articles/19099/Biodiesel_oil.pdf)
Chang and Peterson, (1978). “Carcinogenic Properties.” Retrieved last August 16, 2018 from
(https://www.environmental-expert.com/Files/0/articles/19099/Biodiesel_oil.pdf)
Singh Chandel K. Arvind (n.d.) Harmful Effect of Reusing of Cooking Oils on Health.
Retrieved last August 16, 2018 from (http://www.scind.org/977/Health/harmful-effect-of-
reusing-of-cooking-oils-on-health-.html)
(n.a), (n.d.).Galangal Spice of Life. Retrieved last June 15, 2019 from
(https://www.healthyhildegard.com/what-is-galangal/)