The use of the DSP machine enabled the throughput of processing to be increased four fold when compared with that of the hydraulic system. The clarifying time was also reduced by half. Obviously, the thoroughness of the digestion operation (crushing and pulverisation of the fruit into a pulp) and the pressing method determine how easily oil is released during extraction. The use of the screw press in the DSP enhances the size reduction operation thus allowing for better exposure of the oil cells and subsequently easing the flow of oil from the cells. The duration of the whole processing operations was also similarly affected. Thus, in a continuous clarifying process as this, the time of completion of the digestion and pressing operations affect the clarifying time as clarification of oil does not end until oil from the expression process is clarified. Hartley (1988, Chap. 14) had observed that screw pressing as a unit operation generally has a high throughput. The higher oil yield obtained from DSP system (Table 1) equates to higher extraction efficiency of 89.1% for the DSP system compared to 78.6% for the hydraulic system. Using the DSP has a significant effect on the final oil yield and the extraction efficiency of palm fruit processing. This may be attributed to the fact that there is further reduction of the oil bearing material notably the mesocarp tissues thereby exposing more of the oil cells. The high pressure developed in the press enables more oil to be expressed from the exposed cells.