Malaysia's golden crop
Palm oil is a vegetable oil pressed from the fruit of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Malaysia is one of the world's largest producers, and palm oil is a major export earner. Two oils come from the fruit: palm oil from the fleshy mesocarp and palm kernel oil from the seed.
Composition
Palm oil is a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fats, so it is semi-solid at room temperature. It is naturally rich in vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols) and, before refining, in orange carotenes which the body turns into vitamin A. These act as antioxidants, protecting cells from damage. Palm oil also has a high smoke point, which makes it useful for deep frying, and it keeps well without turning rancid quickly.
Key idea
Oil palm fruit → palm oil (from the mesocarp) + palm kernel oil (from the seed). Palm oil is rich in vitamin E and carotenes.
Uses of palm oil
- Food – cooking oil, margarine, shortening and many processed foods.
- Cleaning – soaps and detergents are made from palm oil by saponification.
- Cosmetics – creams, lipsticks and candles.
- Fuel – biodiesel is produced from palm oil and is a renewable substitute for diesel.
- Animal feed and other products – the leftover palm kernel cake feeds livestock, and by-products are used in lubricants and inks.
The oil palm is a very high-yielding crop, producing far more oil per hectare than soya bean or sunflower. This efficiency, together with its many uses, is why palm oil is found in a huge range of everyday goods.
Example
Palm-oil biodiesel is made by reacting the oil with methanol to form methyl esters, which can run diesel engines with less soot than ordinary diesel.
Remember
Because palm oil has a fair amount of saturated fat, it should be used in moderation. Sustainable schemes such as MSPO aim to reduce the deforestation linked to oil-palm planting.