![]() What is Palm Oil and why should you care? Palm oil is produced from the oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) and is high in saturated fats. The oil palm tree produces fruits in dense bunches with the oil being harvested from both the fruit and the kernel/seed, and can produce fruit for up to 30 years. This allows the oil palm to produce more oil in less space than any other known vegetable oil, making it a potentially highly sustainable oil. Unfortunately, despite the potential, there are many issues with Palm Oil. Demand for palm oil is growing rapidly across the globe, with over 50% of products found in supermarkets containing palm oil, of which the supply often comes from illegal/unsustainable plantations. According to WWF, Indonesia and Malaysia produce 86% of the worlds palm oil, but illegal clearing for palm plantations within both these countries has led to widespread deforestation threatening iconic species such as tigers, elephants, and orangutans. The more I heard about the deforestation and impacts the plantations were having on ecosystems across Asia, the more I wanted to make a change and make a statement as a consumer. When looking for solutions, I found some ways in which you can help is by purchasing products that only use Certified Sustainable Palm Oil, seeking alternative oils, and avoiding products that contain unsustainable palm oil. Palm oil is often hidden in products under different names, such as vegetable oil, Emulsifier E472, Cetyl palmitate, & Palmitoleic acid. A more extensive list can be found here. Unfortunately Palm oil labelling is not mandatory in Australia, however, there is some hope. Palm Oil Investigations have developed an App for both Apple and Android in which you can scan a product's barcode in the store and the app will inform you if Palm oil is in the product and if it has indeed been produced in a sustainable manner. If the item has not been registered within the app it also gives you the option to upload this to the server for further investigation at the click of a button. Even better, the app is completely free! Head over to there site and grab the app and start scanning products! I continually use this app and was surprised to see how many items have been produced with unsustainable palm oil. When scanning items in my local shopping centre, I found unsustainable palm oil in products ranging from shampoo to potato chips. I was pleasantly surprised however, that there were a range of alternative products that were palm oil free or produced with sustainable palm oil.
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AuthorMy name is Garry and I am extremely passionate about the environment. I have completed my BSc. Conservation and Wildlife Biology with First Class Honours and have worked in the Environment sector since 2009. Archives
October 2019
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Local Food Initiative, mitchell haindfield, everyoneisgone, Montgomery County Planning Commission, Takashi(aes256), ilyayakubovich.com