Palm Oil
Palm oil is used in many 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 2020. New plantations are being developed and existing ones are being expanded in Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries, as well as in Africa and Latin America. But this expansion comes at the expense of tropical forest – which forms vital habitat for a large number of endangered species. If your shopping basket includes packaged products like bread, biscuits, chocolate, chips, sandwich spreads, instant noodles, chips, shower cream and shampoo, then it’s very likely you are buying palm oil. Palm oil and its products are present in half of all packaged foods on our shelves. This is because it is stable at room temperature and has a longer shelf life than butter or other vegetable oils. But enough of the negatives: did you know that there is such thing as sustainable palm oil? If palm oil production was sustainable, it would present a much smaller problem for conservationists. It would also mean that they would not be clearing anywhere as much rainforest as they are now. But be careful: sustainable palm oil doesn't mean it's certified. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil is the real thing. |
A collection of foods that have Palm Oil as one of their ingredients.
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