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FPD (First Pressed Degummed) castor oil is a mid-tier grade: the oil is mechanically pressed and then degummed to remove phospholipids and gums, but it is not taken through full bleaching and refining. The result is a clean, stable oil that is paler than Commercial Grade but not as light as First Special Grade. It is widely used as an industrial feedstock — for derivatives, lubricants and coatings — where reliable chemistry matters more than an ultra-pale colour, usually at a better price than fully refined grades.
FPD sits in the middle of the castor oil grade ladder. "First pressed" indicates oil from the pressing stage, and "degummed" tells you the one refining step it has been through. Removing the gums (phospholipids) improves the oil's clarity, stability and handling without the cost of full neutralisation and bleaching. For buyers, FPD is the practical choice when they need a dependable, well-behaved oil but do not need the cosmetic appearance of a premium grade. To see where it sits among all grades, read how to choose the right castor oil grade.
The route is short and deliberate. Cleaned castor seed is pressed in an expeller to release the oil; the crude oil then goes through degumming, where water or acid treatment separates out the gums. After filtration, the oil is ready as FPD. Because it stops short of bleaching, it keeps a slightly deeper natural colour than First Special Grade but retains the full castor chemistry. For the complete production chain, see how is castor oil made.
The values below are indicative for FPD castor oil. Treat them as guidance; the binding figures for any order are those on the batch Certificate of Analysis.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale to light yellow, clear, viscous liquid |
| Colour (Gardner) | ~3–5 |
| Acid value | ~2.0–3.0 mg KOH/g |
| Iodine value | ~82–90 g I₂/100g |
| Hydroxyl value | ~160–168 mg KOH/g |
| Saponification value | ~176–187 mg KOH/g |
| Moisture & volatiles | Max ~0.30% |
| Specific gravity @ 25°C | ~0.957–0.961 |
The grades differ mainly in colour, acid value and how far they are refined — not in their underlying chemistry:
| Factor | Commercial (CCO) | FPD | First Special (FSG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refining | Minimal | Pressed + degummed | Fully refined |
| Colour | Deepest | Mid | Palest |
| Acid value | ~3–5 | ~2–3 | ~1.5–2 |
| Typical use | Low-cost industrial | Industrial / feedstock | Premium, colour-sensitive |
For a direct premium-vs-economy view, see FSG vs FPD castor oil.
First Pressed Degummed castor oil — pressed and then degummed to remove gums, but not fully bleached or refined. It is paler and cleaner than commercial grade and is widely used as an industrial feedstock.
FSG (First Special Grade) is fully refined, with the palest colour and lowest acid value, used where appearance matters. FPD is degummed but not fully refined — slightly deeper in colour, more economical, and aimed at industrial and feedstock uses.
As a feedstock for derivatives such as ricinoleic acid, sebacic acid and hydrogenated castor oil, and in lubricants, greases and coatings intermediates.
Degumming is a refining step that removes phospholipids and gums from crude oil using water or acid, improving the oil's clarity, stability and handling.
