THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO AN AP PARATUS FOR STERILIZING OIL PALM FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES (500).THE APPARATUS (500) IS COMPRISED OF A SCALABLE VESSEL (20) HAVING A TOP INLET PORTION (30) FOR FEEDING THE OIL PALM FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES INTO THE VESSEL (20) AND A BOTTOM OUTLET PORTION (40) FOR DISCHARGING THE OIL PALM FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES. THE APPARATUS (500) INCLUDES ALSO A TOP INLET FEEDING DOOR MEMBER (50) ADAPTED FOR RELEASABLY SEALING THE TOP INLET PORTION (30) OF T HE VESSEL (20) DURING THE STERILIZATION PROCESS AND A BOTTOM OUTLET DISCHARGING DOOR MEMBER (60) A4APTED FOR RELEASABLY SEALIN .G THE BOTTOM OUTLET PORTION (40) OF.THE VESSEL (20) DURING STERILIZATION PROCESS. THE APPARATUS (500) IS CONVENIENTLY PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE RETAINING AND RELEASING DEVICE (70) MOUNTED IN THE VESSEL (20). THE RETAINING AND RELEASING DEVICE (70) SEPARATES THE SCALABLE VESSEL (20) INTERIOR INTO COMPARTMENTS, AND BY MANIPULATION OF CONTROLLING MEANS (80), RETAINS THE FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES IN THE RESPECTIVE COMPARTMENT D URING THE STERILIZATION PROCESS, AND RELEASES THE STERILIZED FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES AFTER THE STERILIZATION PROCESS. THE APPARATUS (500) IS ALSO PROVIDED WITH STEAM INLET VALVE (90) TO INJECT PRESSURIZED STEAM INTO THE SEALABLE VESSEL (20) STEAM EXHAUST VALVE (100) TO RELEASE THE PRESSURIZED STEAM FROM THE SCALABLE VESSEL (20) AND CONDENSATE VALVE (110) TO DISCHARGE CONDENSATE FROM THE SEALABLE VESSEL (20).
