Code of Practice For The Storage and Transport of Edible Fats and Oils in Bulk
Code of Practice For The Storage and Transport of Edible Fats and Oils in Bulk
CXC 36-1987
Adopted in 1987. Revised in 1999, 2001, 2005, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2022.
2022 Amendments
The following amendments were made to the text of the standard following decisions taken at the forty-fifth
session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in December 2022.
Page Location Original text Printed text
5 Section 3.2.1 Materials Mild steel is acceptable for all Mild steel is acceptable for all
crude and semi-refined oils crude and semi-refined oils and
and fats though stainless steel fats though stainless steel is
is preferable. Stainless steel preferable. Stainless steel
should be used for fully refined should be used for fully refined
products. (see also 3.1.4 c) products (see also Section
3.1.4c).
11 Appendix 2, Table on List of (propane-1-ol; l-propanol) (propano-1-ol; 1-propanol)
acceptable previous cargoes,
under Substance
(synonyms), under row 1
11 Appendix 2, Table on List of D-sorbite D-sorbita
acceptable previous cargoes,
under Substance
(synonyms), under row 8
CXC 36-1987 2
1. SCOPE
This code of practice applies to the handling, storage and transport of all crude or processed edible oils and
fats in bulk.
2. INTRODUCTION
2.1 General
Three types of deterioration can occur in oils and fats during the operations dealt with in this code. The
susceptibility of oils and fats to deterioration depends upon a number of factors, including the type of oil or fat,
whether it is crude, partially or fully refined and whether impurities are present. These should be considered
when storing and transporting the oil.
2.1.1 Oxidation
Contact of oils and fats with oxygen, present in the atmosphere, causes chemical changes in the product which
downgrade the quality. Some of the effects of oxidation may be rectified within an edible oil refinery with some
extra processing and, therefore, extra cost. However, the effects may be so severe that rectification is not
possible.
Much can be gained by reducing the amount of air contact and this principle is the basis of several of the
recommendations. Oxidation proceeds more rapidly as temperature increases, so each operation should be
carried out at the lowest practicable temperature. The rate of oxidation is greatly increased by the catalytic
action of copper or copper alloys, even when trace amounts (ppm) are present. Because of this, copper and
copper alloys must be rigorously excluded from the systems. Other metals, such as iron, also have catalytic
effects although less than that of copper.
2.1.2 Hydrolysis
The breakdown of fats to fatty acids is promoted by the presence of water particularly at higher temperatures.
Hydrolysis is also promoted by the action of certain microorganisms. Tanks in which the oil is being stored or
shipped should always be clean and dry before use.
2.1.3 Contamination
Undesirable contamination may be from residues of a previous material handled in the equipment, dirt, rain,
seawater or through the accidental addition of a different product. In storage installations and ships,
particular difficulty may be experienced ensuring cleanliness of valves and pipelines, particularly where they
are common for different tanks. Contamination is avoided by good design of the systems, adequate cleaning
routines and an effective inspection service, and on ships by the carriage of oils in segregated tank systems
in which the previous cargoes are included in the Codex Alimentarius list of acceptable previous cargoes in
Appendix 2 of this code.
Contamination is also avoided by the rejection of tanks which have carried, as a last cargo, products which are
included on the Codex Alimentarius list of banned immediate previous cargoes in Appendix 3 of this code.
Previous cargoes not on the Codex Alimentarius lists of acceptable or banned cargoes are only to be used if
agreed upon by competent authorities of the importing countries.
Until both lists are completed, practitioners may find the lists and data referred to in the bibliography in
Appendix 4 provide relevant guidance.
When determining whether a substance is acceptable as an immediate previous cargo, competent authorities
should consider the following criteria:
b) Stainless steel is the most preferred metal for the construction of tanks. It is particularly recommended
for the storage and transport of fully refined oils and fats. Tanks of mild steel should preferably be
coated with an inert material on the inside, for example phenolic epoxy resins. Their suitability for
contact with foodstuffs, particularly oils and fats, should be obtained from coating manufacturers. Zinc
silicate coatings for mild steel tanks are also suitable, but it should be noted that deterioration of the
oil can take place if used with crude oils and fats with high acid values.
Prior to application of the coating, the metal surface must be sand-blasted to bright metal (ISO 8501-
1:1988) or equivalent. It should be noted that there are temperature limitations on many coatings which
must be carefully observed particularly during the cleaning of the tank (for example, the temperature
limitation may preclude the use of live steam in the cleaning operation).
c) Copper and its alloys such as brass, bronze or gun metal should not be used in the construction of the
storage installation or in a ship or road/rail tanker used for transport that has contact with the oils or
fats such as piping, pipe connections, seals, valves, heating coils, strainers, pumps, temperature
gauges or in sampling apparatus. Temperature gauges containing mercury should not be used.
Glass equipment and glass sample bottles should be avoided in situations where breakage might lead to
contamination.
3.1.5 Heating facilities – tanks
All tanks for solid, semi-solid and high viscosity oils and fats should be installed with heating facilities (see also
Section 3.1.7) so that the product is liquid and homogenous when transferred or unloaded. Heating coils should
be of stainless-steel construction. Heating coils constructed from alloys containing copper are not suitable.
Use of means of heating should be by design, construction, and procedures, such as to avoid contamination
and damage to the oil. Suitable means of heating are as follows:
a) Bare hot water pipes
Heating by hot water (about 80 °C) circulated through coils is the best procedure because it is least likely to
cause local overheating. Coils should be self-draining or mechanical or vacuum pump draining.
b) Bare steam pipes
Heating by steam with pressure up to 150 kPa (1.5 bars) gauge (temperature of 127 °C) can also be used.
Coils should be self-draining or mechanical or vacuum pump draining.
The heating coils should rest on supporting legs about 7.5 cm (3") above the base of the tank. Some operators
prefer supporting legs 15 cm (6") or 30 cm (12") high (to facilitate cleaning and to improve heat transfer to the
oil). Vertical hairpin coils or side heating coils installed on the tank walls should also be provided. As a guide,
a coil area of about 0.1 m²/tonne of tank capacity is required if the fat has to be melted, but 0.05 m²/tonne
suffices for heating-up purposes. The total coil length is normally divided into two or more separate coils, of a
length suitable to avoid excessive accumulation of steam condensate.
c) External heat exchangers
These provide uniform heating and may be used as an alternative to other heating systems in cases where
the product is required to remain liquid and pumpable in the tank.
External heat exchangers should satisfy the requirements of all means of heating with respect to design and
construction such as to avoid contamination and damage to the oil. There should be procedures in place to
detect incidents of leakage should they occur.
Although hot water and steam are the preferred means of heating, other substances may be used on the basis
of safety and risk evaluation and inspection procedures. Upon request by the competent authorities, evidence
may be required to demonstrate that the heating media employed have been properly evaluated and safely
used.
3.1.6 Heating facilities – road and rail tankers and ISO tank containers
For solid or semi-solid fats and high viscosity oils, road and rail tankers and ISO tank containers, where fitted
with internal heating coils, these should be of stainless steel which can be coupled to a source of hot water or
low-pressure steam (pressure up to 150 kPa [1.5 bars] gauge).
3.1.7 Storage tank and road/rail tanker insulation
Storage tanks, tankers and containers should preferably be insulated, particularly in temperate and cold
climates. Insulation is usually fitted externally and must be designed to avoid the absorption of oil or water.
Insulation material should be impervious to oils and fats.
CXC 36-1987 5
Temperature at loading or unloading should refer to the average of top, middle and bottom temperature
readings. Readings should be taken not less than 30 cm away from the heating coils.
Under cold weather conditions, discharge temperatures should be at the maximum of those shown in Table 1,
to prevent blocking of unheated pipelines.
4.1.4 Loading and unloading sequence
Different oils and grades should be kept separate and pumping “new” oil into “old” oil in particular should be
avoided for oxidative quality reasons. It is preferable to transfer different oils and grades through segregated
lines.
Where a number of products are transferred through a common pipeline system, the system must be cleared
completely between different products or grades. The order of loading and discharge should be carefully
chosen to minimise adulteration.
The following principles should be observed:
fully refined oils before partly refined;
partly refined oils before crude oils;
edible oils before technical grades;
fatty acids or acid oils should be pumped last; and
special care should be taken to prevent adulteration between lauric oils and non-lauric oils.
4.1.5 The first pumpings of each grade should be collected where possible in separate tanks for quality checks.
4.2 Cleaning
In addition to what has been said above, where tanks have been used for non-edible materials, the greatest
care must be taken by cleaning and inspection that all residues have been totally removed.
If steam or water are used for cleaning, the system must be drained and completely dried before oil is handled.
A pipeline “pigging” system should be provided at each storage installation. If detergents or alkali are used, all
surfaces with which they have been in contact should be rinsed thoroughly with fresh water to ensure that no
residues remain.
4.3 Maintenance
Regular maintenance checks should be made, preferably as part of a properly planned maintenance
programme. They should include functioning of steam pressure regulation valves; all steam supply valves and
steam traps for leakage; thermometers, thermostats, recording thermometers, weighing equipment and any
gauge meters for function and accuracy; all pumps regulated by thermostat for leakage; integrity of tank
coatings; hoses (internal and external) and condition of tanks and ancillary equipment.
4.4 Others
There must be clear marking or identification systems for the pipelines and storage tanks.
The condition such as cleanliness of storage tanks, road tankers, ship's tanks and pipelines should be
inspected by a suitably qualified superintendent for every loading or unloading of oil and written reports
provided.
The receiver may wish to keep tank sediments separate from the bulk.
Records of the ship's heating log should be provided.
Ship loading samples, properly marked and sealed, should be delivered as required by the contract.
The three previous cargoes carried in a ship's tank should be declared to the charterer and the records made
available to all parties involved. The provision should be part of all shipping contracts. In addition, authorities
may wish to see evidence of previous cargo details.
CXC 36-1987 7
APPENDIX 1
TABLE 1
TEMPERATURES DURING STORAGE, TRANSPORT, LOADING AND DISCHARGE
APPENDIX 2
Notes
(1) Where it is not possible to transport edible fats and oils in bulk in tankers reserved for foodstuffs only,
the possibility of contamination incidents is reduced by carriage in tankers in which the previous cargo
is included in the list below. Application of this list must be combined with good design of the system;
adequate cleaning routines; and effective inspection procedures (see Section 2.1.3 of the code).
(2) Previous cargoes not on the list are only acceptable if they are agreed upon by the competent authorities
of the importing country (see Section 2.1.3 of the code).
(3) The list below is not necessarily a final list but is subject to review and possible amendment to take
account of scientific or technical developments. Additional substances are being considered for inclusion
in the list and may be included as acceptable following an appropriate risk assessment. This should
include consideration of:
toxicological properties, including genotoxic and carcinogenic potential (account may be taken of the
opinions of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) or other recognised
bodies);
efficacy of cleaning procedures between cargoes;
dilution factor in relation to the potential amount of residue of the previous cargo and any impurity
which the previous cargo might have contained, and the volume of oil or fat transported;
solubility of possible contaminating residues;
subsequent refining/processing of the oil or fat;
availability of analytical methods for the detection of trace amounts of residues or for verifying the
absence of contamination; and
reactivity of oils/fats with contaminating residues.
APPENDIX 3
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS LIST OF BANNED IMMEDIATE PREVIOUS CARGOES
Notes
(1) Cargoes not included in the list are only acceptable if they are agreed upon by the competent authorities
of the importing country (see Section 2.1.3 of the code).
* Banned as any one of the last two cargoes in organically coated tanks and as the last cargo in stainless steel and
inorganically coated tanks.
CXC 36-1987 14
APPENDIX 4
BIBLIOGRAPHY
European Commission. 1996. Opinion on the potential risk to human health arising from the transport in
ships’ tanks of oils and fats from substances proposed as acceptable previous cargoes. Scientific Committee
for Food (SCF). Opinion expressed on 20 September 1996: Minutes of 103rd SCF Plenary Meeting, Annex VII
(Doc. III/5693/96).
Federation of Oils, Seeds and Fats Associations (FOSFA International). 2021. In: FOSFA. London.
FOSFA International List of Banned Immediate Previous Cargoes. NOVEMBER 1999 (fosfa.org)
FOSFA International. 2016. Qualifications and operational procedures for ships engaged in the ocean
carriage and transhipment of oils and fats for edible and oleo-chemical use. FOSFA. London.
FOSFA International. Code of Practice for Superintendents. FOSFA. London.
International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). 1991. Sampling Standard ISO 5555 (1991).
ISO. 1991. 1496-3 on Tank Containers (ISO 20 ft IMO2).
National Institute of Oilseed Products (NIOP). 2023. Acceptable Prior Cargo - List No. 1. In: FOSFA
International. NIOP Acceptable Prior Cargo Lists Updated 020222 (fosfa.org)
NIOP. 2023. Acceptable Prior Cargo - List No. 2. In: FOSFA International. NIOP Acceptable Prior Cargo Lists
Updated 020222 (fosfa.org)
NIOP. Unacceptable Prior Cargo List.
NIOP. Trading Rules.
Palm Oil Refiners Association of Malaysia (PORAM). 1994. Processed Palm Oil Storage, Transportation,
Sampling and Survey Guide. In: SCRIBD. MPOB - Processed Palm Oil & PKO - Storage-Transportation-
Sampling & Survey Guide (1994) PDF | PDF | Oil Tanker | Pipeline Transport (scribd.com)
Verwey, A. 1996. Dr Verwey's tank cleaning guide. Tank Cleaning Guide. Chemical Laboratory. Rotterdam.