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 GREEN ENERGY
PALM OIL
BIODIESEL
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Palm Oil - Uses - Food
Palm oil is comprised of approximately 50% saturated fat and 50% unsaturated fat, and can therefore be separated into (solid) palm stearin and (liquid) palm olein. As palm stearin can be used to form solid trans-free fats, it constitutes an excellent substitute for partially hydrogenated oils that are high in trans-fats, thus meeting the demands placed by the public on the food industry to supply healthier choices.
Additionally, palm oil is rich in beta-carotenes and is considered as the richest natural source of carotenoids, recognized as effective antioxidants.
As palm oil is shelf-stable and has a high melting point, it has traditionally been used in baking, for shortenings, margarines and deep fat frying. It is the most preferred and least expensive of all edible plant-derived oils, continuously in great demand. Apart from the USA, which favors soybean oil, palm oil is the most widely used edible oil.
In addition to its use in baking and frying, palm oil is also extensively used as an ingredient in numerous types of foods, including biscuits, crackers, bread, cereals, chips, chocolate, ice cream, soup, sauces, mayonnaise and many others. When taking into account palm oil found both in foods and in health related products such as toothpastes, shampoos and detergents, some sources estimate that more than 10% of the products found on supermarket shelves contain palm oil.
The global food oil market produces more than 95 million tons of vegetable oil annually, more than 27.6 million tons (29%) of which are produced by the oil palm industry.
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