Alexey Udovenko: There is no ban on palm oil in any country in the world

‘The whole fat and oil industry began to develop actively in the middle of the XX century. Palm oil entered the Soviet Union simultaneously with the world market. That is, in the 70s, the Soviet Union already began to use palm oil in food industry, and this trend coincided with the global trend of using tropical raw materials in food industry. Most palm oil is used in Malaysia and Indonesia where there is a lot of street food; they use a lot of deep-frying fats. In terms of palm oil consumption, we are approaching European countries.’ the expert said.

According to the speaker, palm oil is the most consumed in the world since 2005. Every tenth product on the supermarket shelf contains it. It is generally believed that palm oil is popular precisely because of the price. However, this parameter can be put in second place. The main thing is that due to its natural properties, palm oil has a very wide functionality — it can be used almost everywhere: in spreads, margarine, ice cream, as deep-frying and cooking fat, glazing, filling fats, etc.

The expert stressed that there is no ban on palm oil in any country in the world. It does not prevent France fr om producing high-quality cheeses. Belgium, known for its chocolate, also uses palm oil.

Speaking about the quality of products, Alexey Udovenko said that the oilseed industry in Malaysia is one of the most regulated fat and oil industries in the world. There are a lot of laws regulating this sector, so you don't have to worry about the quality of products.

‘WHO has recognized the dangerous effect of industrial trans fats on the human body and recommends that manufacturers completely exclude them fr om food, and consumers to reduce the consumption of trans fats to 1% (2-3 g) of the daily norm of total energy consumption. The use of palm oil is one of the few ways to avoid the formation and accumulation of trans fats, therefore, since 2018, the use of tropical raw materials in the fat and oil industry has increased by 20%,’ the speaker commented.

The expert also touched upon another field of using palm oil, in the production of biodiesel, which is about half of the total oil produced. Biodiesel is used in European countries, in the USA, Malaysia, Indonesia wh ere they care most about the environment.

Alexey Udovenko told about the growing conditions of the oil palm. These plantations are a real forest, wh ere biological means of protection are widely used: bindweed, entwining the trunk and driving away insects and owls that live among palm trees fight rodents. This method, according to the regional representative, is much more effective than the use of pesticides. As for “chemicals”, only fertilizers are widely used.