1

Africa Palm Products integrates the entire value chain from oil palm refining, processing, branding and
distribution of a complete range of palm and palm kernel based oils and fats to global markets. Africa Palm
Products not only produces and markets a wide range of products that cater to the daily needs of
households across the South Africa, but also manufactures derivatives and intermediates for baking food
and non food uses as well.
Integrity: Honesty and Fairness guide our every action.
Teamwork: We value individual excellence and work as a team for the benefit of our stakeholders.
Citizenship: We contribute to the development of individuals and the social and economic fabric of our
communities, and we act as stewards of the environment.
Entrepreneurship: We prize individual initiative to meet opportunities and deliver results.
Openness & Trust: We are open to other ideas and opinions, and we trust our colleagues.
Why is Palm Fruit Oil red?
The striking red colour of Palm Fruit Oil is due to its exceptionally high levels of
caroteinoids, a large family of pigmented compounds with high nutritional value (e.g.
alpha- and beta-carotenes and lycopene).
Palm Fruit Oil contains on average 13 to 15 times more carotenes than carrots and 40 to
50 times more carotenes than tomatoes.
What are alpha and beta-carotenes?
They are non-toxic, pigmented precursors of vitamin A. Our bodies convert them into
vitamin A as and when required. Vitamin A is important in, amongst others, maintaining
good vision and supporting the immune system.
Vitamin E: tocopherols and tocotrienols
Tocopherols and tocotrienols are two forms of the strong antioxidant, vitamin E. They,
too, remove the damaging oxygen free radicals. Among all vegetable oils, Palm Fruit Oil
has by far the highest level of naturally occurring tocotrienols (Graph 1).

What about the fatty acids?

Palm Fruit Oils is an efficient source of energy, providing equal amounts of saturated and
unsaturated fatty acids. The composition of fatty acids in Palm Fruit Oil is (on average)
as follows:
40% oleic acid (monounsaturated), 10% linoleic acid and 0.4% linolenic acid (both
polyunsaturated)
44% palmitic acid (monosaturated), 4.6% stearic acid, 1.1% myristic acid and 0.2%
lauric acid (all three saturated).
Bioavailability of nutrients/vitamins
Palm Fruit Oil contains important vitamins and other phytonutrients (plant nutrients).

2
Their quantities and ratios are as originally formed by Nature and remain unaltered by
the refining process. The body is able to absorb and utilize the carotenes, tocopherols
and tocotrienols in Palm Fruit Oil extremely well (i.e. their bioavailability is very high)
because these fat-soluble vitamins are present in the oil medium.
Why is Palm Fruit Oil good for you?
Palm Fruit Oil not only tastes good, IT IS ALSO GOOD FOR YOU because it is:
A 100% natural product
High in natural carotenes
High in natural vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols)
100% vegan
And because it contains:
No cholesterol
No trans fatty acids
No hydrogenated oil
No sodium
No preservatives
No artificial colourants
It also has:
High natural biovailability of phytonutrients
A powerful combination of antioxidants
Exceptional stability during frying
Why is Palm Fruit Oil so stable?
Palm Fruit Oils exceptional resistance to the detrimental effects of atmospheric oxygen
is due to its unique composition of fatty acids, namely low concentration of readily
oxidised linolenic and linoleic acids and high levels of protective antioxidants (carotenes,
tocopherols and tocotrienols). Palm Fruit Oil therefore retains its freshness and its
valuable properties over long periods of storage.
Palm Fruit Oil has exceptional frying stability

100% natural product

High in natural carotenes
High in natural vitamin E
Contains lycopene
No cholesterol
No trans-fatty acids
No sodium
No preservatives
No artificial colourants
100% vegan
Attractive natural colour
High natural bioavailability
Exceptional frying stability
Carotenes
Carotenes present in Palm Fruit Oil have strong antioxidant properties they
remove damaging oxygen free radicals, prevent certain forms of cancer and
delay the aging process (1)
Tocotrienols
Tocotrienols have been reported in scientific literature to prevent
cardiovascular diseases, lower the serum cholesterol level, decrease platelet
aggregation, inhibit the growth of certain types of cancer cells, protect the skin
against UV radiation and offer some protection to nerve cells (2,3,4).
Fatty acids
The harmful effects usually associated with saturated fatty acids have not been
observed in Palm Fruit Oil. This apparently is due to their structure, position in
the fat molecule and the balanced composition of fatty acids found in this
product (5,6,7).
References
1. Kamen B , 2000. A New Dietary Oil for the New Millenium: Red Palm Oil. Total Health; 22:
No 6, 62-63.
2. Theriault A al., 1999. Tocotrienols: A Review of its therapeutic potential. Clin Biochem; 32:
No 5, 309-319.
3. Theriault A. 2001. The Right Vitamin E TOCOTRIENOLS. Total Health; 23: No 2, 66-68.
4. Sylvester B W and Theriault A. 2003. Role of tocotrienols in the Prevention of
Cardiovascular Disease and Breast Cancer. Topics in Nutraceutical Research; 1: No 2, 121126.
5. Kritchevsky D. 1988 Effects of Triglyceride Structure on Lipid Metabolism. Nutrition
Reviews; 46:177-181.
6. Kritchevsky D. 1995. Fatty acids, triglyceride structure, and lipid metabolism. J Nutr
Biochem;6:172-178.
7. Kritchevsky D, Tepper SA, Chen SC, Meijer GW. 1996. Influence of triglyceride structure
on experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits. FASEB J; 10:A187.

4
alm oil (also known as dend oil, from Portuguese) is an edible vegetable oil derived from
the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of the oil palms, primarily the African oil palm Elaeis
guineensis,[1] and to a lesser extent from the American oil palm Elaeis oleifera and the
maripa palm Attalea maripa.

Palm oil is naturally reddish in color because of a high beta-carotene content. It is not to be
confused with palm kernel oil derived from the kernel of the same fruit,[2] or coconut oil
derived from the kernel of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). The differences are in color
(raw palm kernel oil lacks carotenoids and is not red), and in saturated fat content: Palm
mesocarp oil is 41% saturated, while palm kernel oil and coconut oil are 81% and 86%
saturated respectively.[3]

Along with coconut oil, palm oil is one of the few highly saturated vegetable fats and is semisolid at room temperature. Like most plant-based products, palm oil contains very little
cholesterol.[4]

Palm oil is a common cooking ingredient in the tropical belt of Africa, Southeast Asia and
parts of Brazil. Its use in the commercial food industry in other parts of the world is
widespread because of its lower cost[5] and the high oxidative stability (saturation) of the
refined product when used for frying.[6][7]

The use of palm oil in food products has attracted the concern of environmental activist
groups; the high oil yield of the trees has encouraged wider cultivation, leading to the
clearing of forests in parts of Indonesia in order to make space for oil-palm monoculture.
This has resulted in significant acreage losses of the natural habitat of the orangutan, of
which both species are endangered; one species in particular, the Sumatran orangutan, has
been listed as critically endangered.[8] In 2004, an industry group called the Roundtable on
Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was formed to work with the palm oil industry to address these
concerns.[9] Additionally, in 1992, in response to concerns about deforestation, the
Malaysian Government pledged to limit the expansion of palm oil plantations by retaining a
minimum of half the nation's land as forest cover.[10][11]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Composition
2.1 Fatty acids
2.2 Carotenes

5
3 Processing and use
3.1 Refining
3.2 Red palm oil
3.3 Antioxidants
3.4 Butter and trans fat substitute
3.5 Biomass and bioenergy
3.6 In wound care
4 Production
4.1 Indonesia
4.2 Malaysia
4.3 Nigeria
4.4 Thailand
4.5 Colombia
4.6 Other countries
5 Markets
5.1 Food label regulations
6 Nutrition and health
6.1 Cardiovascular disease
6.2 Acrolein
7 Social and environmental impacts
7.1 Social
7.2 Environmental
7.3 Roundtable On Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
History[edit]

6
Oil palms (Elaeis guineensis).
Human use of oil palms may date as far back as 5,000 years; in the late 1800s,
archaeologists discovered a substance that they concluded was originally palm oil in a tomb
at Abydos dating back to 3,000 BCE.[12] It is believed that Arab traders brought the oil palm
to Egypt.[13]

Palm oil from Elaeis guineensis has long been recognized in West and Central African
countries, and is widely used as a cooking oil. European merchants trading with West Africa
occasionally purchased palm oil for use as a cooking oil in Europe.

Palm oil became a highly sought-after commodity by British traders, for use as an industrial
lubricant for machinery during Britain's Industrial Revolution.[14]

Palm oil formed the basis of soap products, such as Lever Brothers' (now Unilever)
"Sunlight" soap, and the American Palmolive brand.[15]

By around 1870, palm oil constituted the primary export of some West African countries such
as Ghana and Nigeria although this was overtaken by cocoa in the 1880s.[citation needed]

Composition[edit]
Fatty acids[edit]
Main article: Fatty acid
Palm oil, like all fats, is composed of fatty acids, esterified with glycerol. Palm oil has an
especially high concentration of saturated fat, specifically, of the 16-carbon saturated fatty
acid palmitic acid, to which it gives its name. Monounsaturated oleic acid is also a major
constituent of palm oil. Unrefined palm oil is a large natural source of tocotrienol, part of the
vitamin E family.[16]

The approximate concentration of fatty acids in palm oil is:[17]

Fatty acid content of palm oil

Type of fatty acid
Myristic saturated C14

pct

1.0%
Palmitic saturated C16

43.5%
Stearic saturated C18

4.3%
Oleic monounsaturated C18

36.6%
Linoleic polyunsaturated C18

9.1%
Other/Unknown

5.5%
black: Saturated; grey: Monounsaturated; blue: Polyunsaturated
Carotenes[edit]
When unrefined or when processed into red palm oil, it is naturally rich in carotenes, which
give it its characteristic dark red color. Like tomatoes, carrots and many other fruits and
vegetables but unlike most oils, palm oil naturally contains the nutrients alpha-carotene,
beta-carotene and lycopene. Palm oil contains other carotenes including tocopherols and
tocotrienols (members of the vitamin E family), CoQ10, phytosterols, and glycolipids.[18]

Processing and use[edit]

Many processed foods either contain palm oil or various ingredients derived from it.[19]

Refining[edit]
See: Cooking oil refinement

8
After milling, various palm oil products are made using refining processes. First is
fractionation, with crystallization and separation processes to obtain solid (stearin), and liquid
(olein) fractions.[20] Then melting and degumming removes impurities. Then the oil is filtered
and bleached. Physical refining[clarification needed] removes smells and coloration to
produce "refined, bleached and deodorized palm oil" (RBDPO) and free sheer fatty
acids,[clarification needed] which are used in the manufacture of soaps, washing powder
and other products. RBDPO is the basic palm oil product sold on the world's commodity
markets. Many companies fractionate it further to produce palm olein for cooking oil, or
process it into other products.[20]

Red palm oil[edit]

Since the mid-1990s, red palm oil has been cold-pressed and bottled for use as cooking oil,
and blended into mayonnaise and salad oil.[21]

Antioxidants[edit]
Red palm oil antioxidants like tocotrienols and carotenes are added to foods and cosmetics
because of their purported health benefits.[22][23][24]

Butter and trans fat substitute[edit]

The highly saturated nature of palm oil renders it solid at room temperature in temperate
regions, making it a cheap substitute for butter or trans fats in uses where solid fat is
desirable, such as the making of pastry dough and baked goods. A recent rise in the use of
palm oil in the food industry has partly come from changed labelling requirements that have
caused a switch away from using trans fats.[25] Palm oil has been found to be a reasonable
replacement for trans fats;[26] however, a small study conducted in 2009 found that palm oil
may not be a good substitute for trans fats for individuals with already-elevated LDL
levels.[27] The USDA agricultural research service states that palm oil is not a healthy
substitute for trans fats.[28]

Biomass and bioenergy[edit]

Palm oil is used to produce both methyl ester and hydrodeoxygenated biodiesel.[29] Palm oil
methyl ester is created through a process called transesterification. Palm oil biodiesel is
often blended with other fuels to create palm oil biodiesel blends.[30] Palm oil biodiesel
meets the European EN 14214 standard for biodiesels.[29] Hydrodeoxygenated biodiesel is
produced by direct hydrogenolysis of the fat into alkanes and propane. The world's largest
palm oil biodiesel plant is the Finnish-operated Neste Oil biodiesel plant in Singapore, which
opened in 2011 and produces hydrodeoxygenated NEXBTL biodiesel.[31]

9
The organic waste matter that is produced when processing oil palm, including oil palm
shells and oil palm fruit bunches, can also be used to produce energy. This waste material
can be converted into pellets that can be used as a biofuel.[32] Additionally, palm oil that has
been used to fry foods can be converted into methyl esters for biodiesel. The used cooking
oil is chemically treated to create a biodiesel similar to petroleum diesel.[33]

In wound care[edit]
Although palm oil is applied to wounds for its supposed antimicrobial effects, research does
not confirm its effectiveness.[34]

Production[edit]
As of 2012, the annual revenue received by Indonesia and Malaysia together, the top two
producers of palm oil, is US$40 billion.[35] Between 1962 and 1982 global exports of palm
oil increased from around half a million to 2.4 million tonnes annually and in 2008 world
production of palm oil and palm kernel oil amounted to 48 million tonnes. According to FAO
forecasts by 2020 the global demand for palm oil will double, and triple by 2050.[36]

A map of world palm oil output, 2013.

Indonesia[edit]
Main article: Palm oil production in Indonesia
Indonesia is the largest producer of palm oil, surpassing Malaysia in 2006, producing more
than 20.9 million tonnes.[35][37] Indonesia expects to double production by the end of
2030.[9] At the end of 2010, 60 percent of the output was exported in the form of crude palm
oil.[38] FAO data show production increased by over 400% between 1994 and 2004, to over
8.66 million metric tonnes.

Malaysia[edit]
Main article: Palm oil production in Malaysia

A palm oil plantation in Malaysia.

In 2012, Malaysia, the world's second largest producer of palm oil,[39] produced 18.79
million tonnes of crude palm oil on roughly 5,000,000 hectares (19,000 sq mi) of
land.[40][41] Though Indonesia produces more palm oil, Malaysia is the world's largest
exporter of palm oil having exported 18 million tonnes of palm oil products in 2011. China,

10
Pakistan, the European Union, India and the United States are the primary importers of
Malaysian palm oil products.[42]

A palm oil plantation in Indonesia.

Nigeria[edit]
As of 2011, Nigeria was the third-largest producer, with approximately 2.3 million hectares
(5.7106 acres) under cultivation. Until 1934, Nigeria had been the world's largest producer.
Both small- and large-scale producers participated in the industry.[43][44]

Thailand[edit]
In 2013, Thailand produced 2.0 million tonnes of crude palm oil on roughly 626 thousand
hectares.{{FAOStat}}

Colombia[edit]
In the 1960s, about 18,000 hectares (69 sq mi) were planted with palm. Colombia has now
become the largest palm oil producer in the Americas, and 35% of its product is exported as
biofuel. In 2006, the Colombian plantation owners' association, Fedepalma, reported that oil
palm cultivation was expanding to 1,000,000 hectares (3,900 sq mi). This expansion is being
funded, in part, by the United States Agency for International Development to resettle
disarmed paramilitary members on arable land, and by the Colombian government, which
proposes to expand land use for exportable cash crops to 7,000,000 hectares (27,000 sq mi)
by 2020, including oil palms. Fedepalma states that its members are following sustainable
guidelines.[45]

Some Afro-Colombians claim that some of these new plantations have been expropriated
from them after they had been driven away through poverty and civil war, while armed
guards intimidate the remaining people to further depopulate the land, with coca production
and trafficking following in their wake.[46]

Other countries[edit]

A satellite image showing deforestation in Malaysian Borneo to allow the plantation of oil
palm.
Benin[edit]

11
Palm is native to the wetlands of western Africa, and south Benin already hosts many palm
plantations. Its 'Agricultural Revival Programme' has identified many thousands of hectares
of land as suitable for new oil palm export plantations. In spite of the economic benefits,
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as Nature Tropicale, claim biofuels will
compete with domestic food production in some existing prime agricultural sites. Other areas
comprise peat land, whose drainage would have a deleterious environmental impact. They
are also concerned genetically modified plants will be introduced into the region,
jeopardizing the current premium paid for their non-GM crops.[47][48]

Cameroon[edit]
Cameroon has a production project underway initiated by Herakles Farms in the US.[49]
However, the project has been halted under the pressure of Greenpeace, WWF and other
civil society organizations in Cameroon. Before the project was halted, Herakles left the
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) early on in negotiations. The project has been
controversial due to opposition from villagers and the location of the project in a biodiversity
hotspot.[50][51]

Kenya[edit]
Kenya's domestic production of edible oils covers about a third of its annual demand,
estimated at around 380,000 metric tonnes. The rest is imported at a cost of around US$140
million a year, making edible oil the country's second most important import after petroleum.
Since 1993 a new hybrid variety of cold-tolerant, high-yielding oil palm has been promoted
by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in western Kenya. As well as
alleviating the country's deficit of edible oils while providing an important cash crop, it is
claimed to have environmental benefits in the region, because it does not compete against
food crops or native vegetation and it provides stabilisation for the soil.[52]

Ghana[edit]
Ghana has a lot of palm nut species, which may become an important contributor to the
agriculture of the region. Although Ghana has multiple palm species, ranging from local palm
nuts to other species locally called agric, it was only marketed locally and to neighboring
countries. Production is now expanding as major investment funds are purchasing
plantations, because Ghana is considered a major growth area for palm oil.

Markets[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by
adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
(January 2015)

12
According to the Hamburg-based Oil World trade journal,[citation needed] in 2008 global
production of oils and fats stood at 160 million tonnes. Palm oil and palm kernel oil were
jointly the largest contributor, accounting for 48 million tonnes, or 30% of the total output.
Soybean oil came in second with 37 million tonnes (23%). About 38% of the oils and fats
produced in the world were shipped across oceans. Of the 60.3 million tonnes of oils and
fats exported around the world, palm oil and palm kernel oil made up close to 60%;
Malaysia, with 45% of the market share, dominated the palm oil trade.

Food label regulations[edit]

Previously, palm oil could be listed as "vegetable fat" or "vegetable oil" on food labels in the
European Union (EU). From December 2014, food packaging in the EU is no longer allowed
to use the generic terms "vegetable fat" or "vegetable oil" in the ingredients list. Food
producers are required to list the specific type of vegetable fat used, including palm oil.
Vegetable oils and fats can be grouped together in the ingredients list under the term
"vegetable oils" or "vegetable fats" but this must be followed by the type of vegetable origin
(e.g. palm, sunflower or rapeseed) and the phrase "in varying proportions".[53]

Nutrition and health[edit]

Palm oil is also an important source of calories and a food staple in poor
communities.[54][55][56] However its overall health impacts, particularly in relation to
cardiovascular disease, are controversial and subject to ongoing research.

Much of the palm oil that is consumed as food is cooking oil, to some degree oxidized rather
than in the fresh state, and this oxidation appears to be responsible for the health risk
associated with consuming palm oil.[57]

Cardiovascular disease[edit]
Several studies have linked palm oil to higher risks of cardiovascular disease including a
2005 study conducted in Costa Rica which indicated that replacing palm oil in cooking with
polyunsaturated non-hydrogenated oils could reduce the risk of heart attacks,[58] and a
2011 analysis of 23 countries which showed that for each kilogram of palm oil added to the
diet annually there was an increase in ischemic heart disease deaths (68 deaths per
100,000 increase) though the increase was much smaller in high-income countries.[59]

Palmitic acid[edit]
According to studies reported on by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI),
excessive intake of palmitic acid, which makes up 44 percent of palm oil, increases blood
cholesterol levels and may contribute to heart disease.[60] The CSPI also reported that the

13
World Health Organization and the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute have
encouraged consumers to limit the consumption of palmitic acid and foods high in saturated
fat.[54][60] According to the World Health Organization, evidence is convincing that
consumption of palmitic acid increases risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, placing it
in the same evidence category as trans fatty acids.[61]

However, a 1993 study published by the United Nations University Press found that
consumption of palmitic acid appeared to have no impact on cholesterol levels when daily
cholesterol intake is below 400 mg per day.[62]

Comparison to trans fats[edit]

In response to negative reports on palm oil many food manufacturers transitioned to using
hydrogenated vegetable oils in their products, which have also come under scrutiny for the
impact these oils have on health.[63] A 2006 study supported by the National Institutes of
Health and the USDA Agricultural Research Service concluded that palm oil is not a safe
substitute for partially hydrogenated fats (trans fats) in the food industry, because palm oil
results in adverse changes in the blood concentrations of LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein
B just as trans fat does.[27][64] However, according to two reports published in 2010 by the
Journal of the American College of Nutrition palm oil is again an accepted replacement for
hydrogenated vegetable oils[63] and a natural replacement for partially hydrogenated
vegetable oils, which are a significant source of trans fats.[65]

Comparison with animal saturated fat[edit]

Not all saturated fats have equally cholesterolemic effects.[66] Studies have indicated that
consumption of palm olein (which is more unsaturated) reduces blood cholesterol when
compared to sources of saturated fats like coconut oil, dairy and animal fats.[67]

In 1996, Dr Decker of University of Massachusetts Medical School stressed that saturated

fats in the sn1 and -3 position of triacylglycerols exhibit different metabolic patterns
because of their low absorptivity. Dietary fats containing saturated fats primarily in sn1 and
-3 positions (e.g., cocoa butter, coconut oil, and palm oil) have very different biological
consequences than those fats in which the saturated fats are primarily in the sn2 position
(e.g., milk fat and lard). Differences in stereospecific fatty acid location should be an
important consideration in the design and interpretation of lipid nutrition studies and in the
production of specialty food products.[68]

Acrolein[edit]
A 2009 study[69] tested the emission rates of acrolein, a toxic and malodorous breakdown
product from glycerol, from the deep-frying of potatoes in red palm, olive, and

14
polyunsaturated sunflower oils. The study found higher acrolein emission rates from the
polyunsaturated sunflower oil (the scientists characterized red palm oil as "monounsaturated") and lower rates from both palm and olive oils. The World Health Organization
established a tolerable oral acrolein intake of 7.5 mg/day per kilogram of body weight.
Although acrolein occurs in French fries, the levels are only a few micrograms per kilogram.
A 2011 study concluded a health risk from acrolein in food is unlikely.[70]

Social and environmental impacts[edit]

Main article: Social and environmental impact of palm oil
Social[edit]

In Borneo, Indonesia, the forest (F), is being replaced by oil palm plantations (G). These
changes are irreversible for all practical purposes (H).
The palm oil industry has had both positive and negative impacts on workers, indigenous
peoples and residents of palm oil-producing communities. Palm oil production provides
employment opportunities, and has been shown to improve infrastructure, social services
and reduce poverty.[71][72][73] However, in some cases, oil palm plantations have
developed lands without consultation or compensation of the indigenous people occupying
the land, resulting in social conflict.[74][75][76] The use of illegal immigrants in Malaysia has
also raised concerns about working conditions within the palm oil industry.[77][78][79]

Some social initiatives use palm oil cultivation as part of poverty alleviation strategies.
Examples include the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's hybrid oil palm project in
Western Kenya, which improves incomes and diets of local populations,[80] and Malaysia's
Federal Land Development Authority and Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation
Authority, which both support rural development.[81]

Food vs. fuel[edit]

Main article: Food vs. fuel
The use of palm oil in the production of biodiesel has led to concerns that the need for fuel is
being placed ahead of the need for food, leading to malnourishment in developing nations.
This is known as the food versus fuel debate. According to a 2008 report published in the
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, palm oil was determined to be a sustainable
source of both food and biofuel. The production of palm oil biodiesel does not pose a threat
to edible palm oil supplies.[82] According to a 2009 study published in the Environmental
Science and Policy journal, palm oil biodiesel might increase the demand for palm oil in the
future, resulting in the expansion of palm oil production, and therefore an increased supply of
food.[83]

15

Environmental[edit]
Palm oil cultivation has been criticized for impacts on the natural environment,[84][85]
including deforestation, loss of natural habitats, which has threatened critically endangered
species such as the orangutan[86][87] and Sumatran tiger,[88] and increased greenhouse
gas emissions.[85][89] Many palm oil plantations are built on top of existing peat bogs, and
clearing the land for palm oil cultivation may contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.[89][90]

Efforts to portray palm oil cultivation as sustainable have been made by organizations
including the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil,[91] an industry group, and the Malaysian
government, which has committed to preserve 50 percent of its total land area as forest.[10]
According to research conducted by the Tropical Peat Research Laboratory, a group
studying palm oil cultivation in support of the industry,[92] oil palms plantations act as carbon
sinks, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen[93] and, according to Malaysia's Second
National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
the plantations contribute to Malaysia's status as a net carbon sink.[94]

Environmental groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth oppose the use of palm
oil biofuels, claiming that the deforestation caused by oil palm plantations is more damaging
for the climate than the benefits gained by switching to biofuel and utilizing the palms as
carbon sinks.[90][95][96]

Roundtable On Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)[edit]

Main article: Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
RT2 (Roundtable No 2) in Zurich in 2005.
Roundtable No 2 (RT2) in Zurich in 2005.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was created in 2004[97] following
concerns raised by non-governmental organizations about environmental impacts related to
palm oil production. The organization has established international standards for sustainable
palm oil production.[98] Products containing Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) can
carry the RSPO trademark.[99] Members of the RSPO include palm oil producers,
environmental groups and manufacturers who use palm oil in their products.[97][98]

Palm oil growers who produce Certified Sustainable Palm Oil have been critical of the
organization because, though they have met RSPO standards and assumed the costs
associated with certification, the market demand for certified palm oil remains low.[98][99]
Low market demand has been attributed to the higher cost of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil,
leading palm oil buyers to purchase cheaper non-certified palm oil. Palm oil is mostly

16
fungible. In 2011, 12% of palm oil produced was certified "sustainable", though only half of
that had the RSPO label.[100] Even with such a low proportion being certified, Greenpeace
has argued that confectioners are avoiding responsibilities on sustainable palm oil, because
it says that RSPO standards fall short of protecting rain forests and reducing greenhouse
gases.[101]

See also[edit]
Elaeis guineensis
Food vs. fuel
Palm sugar
Tropical agriculture
Social and environmental impact of palm oil
References[edit]
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(1979). Composition of foods: fats and oils. Agriculture handbook 8-4. Washington, D.C.:
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Jump up ^ Poku, Kwasi (2002). "Origin of oil palm". Small-Scale Palm Oil Processing in
Africa. FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 148. Food and Agriculture Organization. ISBN 925-104859-2.[page needed]
Jump up ^ Harold McGee. On Food And Cooking: The Science And Lore Of The Kitchen,
Scribner, 2004 edition. ISBN 978-0-684-80001-1
Jump up ^ Behrman, E. J.; Gopalan, Venkat (2005). William M. Scovell, ed. "Cholesterol and
Plants" (PDF). Journal of Chemical Education 82 (12): 1791. doi:10.1021/ed082p1791.
Jump up ^ "Palm Oil Continues to Dominate Global Consumption in 2006/07" (PDF) (Press
release). United States Department of Agriculture. June 2006. Retrieved 22 September
2009.
Jump up ^ Che Man, YB; Liu, J.L.; Jamilah, B.; Rahman, R. Abdul (1999). "Quality changes
of RBD palm olein, soybean oil and their blends during deep-fat frying". Journal of Food
Lipids 6 (3): 181193. doi:10.1111/j.1745-4522.1999.tb00142.x.
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18
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External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palm oil.
Palm Oil - Production, Consumption, Exports, and Imports Statistics by Country
Your Toothpaste Is Destroying Asia's Rainforests (February 2015), Adam Minter, Bloomberg
View
Blood on the Palms: Afro-Colombians fight new plantations by David Bacon, July/August
2007 Dollars & Sense
Palm Oil as a Fuel for Agricultural Diesel Engines: Comparative Testing against Diesel Oil
Sustainable Palm oil production on Vimeo (produced by World Wide Fund for Nature)
What is Palm Oil? - More information on palm oil.
Information on the African Oil Palm tree and fruit - including origin, cultivation, botanical
description and general culture by Mark Rieger, PhD, professor of horticulture.
Articles on world palm oil trade at the Agritrade web site
CODEX STAN 210-1999 Standard for Named Vegetable Oils Codex Alimentarius
[hide] v t e
Palm oil
Oil palms
Attalea A. maripa Elaeis E. guineesis E. oleifera
Elaeis guineensis oil palm fruit Portoviejo Ecuador.jpg
Diseases and
pests
Bagworm moth Basal stem rot (Ganoderma orbiforme) Cadang-cadang disease Little leaf
syndrome Oryctes rhinoceros Rhynchophorus palmarum Oil palm bunch moth Tirathaba
mundella Tirathaba rufivena Red ring disease (Bursaphelenchus cocophilus)
Components

24
Mesocarp Palm kernel oil lauric acid Palm oil stearin stearic acid linoleic acid myristic acid
oleic acid palmitic acid
Processes
Fractionation Hydrolysis Milling Refining Saponification Transesterification
Products
Biodiesel by region NExBTL Bioplastics Cellulosic ethanol Girl Scout Cookies Oleochemicals
Vegetable oil cooking fuel
Organisations
Producers
Bumitama Agri Cargill Equatorial Palm Oil Federal Global Ventures (FGV) Feronia Inc. IOI
Group Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad Sime Darby Wilmar International
Buyers/ processors
AAK GreenPalm Neste Unilever
Governmental/
non-governmental
FELDA The Forest Trust Indonesia Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Malaysia
Derivatives Exchange Malaysian Palm Oil Board Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
Policies, impacts
and debates
Biodiesel impacts Biofuel policy (Malaysia) Biofuels issues Certified sustainable palm oil
Deforestation haze Food vs. fuel Social and environmental impacts Vegetable oils as
alternative energy

The most popular vegetable oil

Palm oil is used for food products, detergents, cosmetics and increasingly biofuel.
Global production of palm oil has doubled over the last decade. By 2000, palm oil was
the most produced and traded vegetable oil (FAO 2002), accounting for 40% of all
vegetable oils traded internationally. By 2006, the percentage had risen to 65% (FAO).
Worldwide demand for palm oil is expected to double again by 2050 to 240 million
tonnes. New plantations are being developed and existing ones are being expanded in
Indonesia, Malaysia and other Asian countries, as well as in Africa and Latin America.

25

But this expansion comes at the expense of tropical forest which forms critical habitat
for a large number of endangered species.

arge areas of tropical forests and other ecosystems with high conservation
values have been cleared to make room for vast monoculture oil palm
plantations destroying critical habitat for many endangered species,
including rhinos, elephants and tigers.
In some cases, the expansion of plantations has lead to the eviction of
forest-dwelling peoples.

WHEN PALM OIL THREATENS TIGERS AND

ELEPHANTS
WWF's investigation in Sumatra's Tesso Nilo National Park, a haven for endangered tigers and
elephants, reveals how the palm oil industry is threatening this fragile protected area.
Find out more

The establishment of vast monoculture oil plam plantations has a number of

environmental impacts.
The two most serious are:

large-scale forest conversion

loss of critical habitat for endangered species
Other impacts include:

soil erosion
air pollution
soil & water pollution
climate change

Palm oil social impacts

New plantations can also create social conflicts if the rights and livelihoods of local
communities are ignored. Not only can this cause negative external impacts but it can
also affect the companies involved, and hamper the ability of the companies to expand
as planned.

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