Palm oil: Sustainability is on its way

Palm oil, along with coconut fat, is the only vegetable fat that remains solid at room temperature. Instead of liquefying, it stays firm. Therefore, palm oil often replaces hardened fats and is thus the better, and also healthier, alternative. The second reason why palm oil is frequently used: it has a long shelf life, is flavour-neutral, and highly heat-resistant. This is ideal when you want to fry, bake, or deep-fry something delicious. Sounds wonderful so far, doesn’t it? Or maybe not entirely?

Palm oil is extracted from oil palms. Originally native to the tropical forests of West Africa, they now grow in all tropical regions of the world on an area of about 19 million hectares, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia. Oil palms bear fruit throughout the year and are highly productive, with a single palm producing 3,000 to 6,000 fruits. They are a significant economic factor for the food industry. However, this should be viewed critically.

The globally increasing demand for palm oil has a negative impact on existing ecosystems. Fortunately, many raw material processing companies are aware of this issue. Soon, they aim to completely eliminate the use of unsustainable palm oil. Instead, they commit to using only sustainable palm oil from certified sources. To achieve this, they collaborate with the RSPO, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. As a central organization, the RSPO not only promotes sustainable cultivation methods for palm oil but also advocates for high-conservation-value forest areas. The RSPO consists of environmental organizations, other NGOs, as well as companies and institutions within the palm oil supply chain.

Therefore, it would be good if you, too, reach for the supermarket shelf more consciously. Trust brands that consistently follow a sustainable path in food processing. After all, we have only this one planet. Making more conscious choices in our diet and embracing a sustainable lifestyle can only be a wholesome decision for everyone.