Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil globally, offering significant advantages for food manufacturers. It is not only more affordable than other vegetable oils but also boasts a long shelf life and processing benefits, such as stability at high temperatures and solidity at room temperature. Consequently, palm oil has become a favored alternative to partially hydrogenated oils. When managed properly, it is also more land-efficient than other vegetable oils, yielding ten times more oil per hectare than soybeans and significantly surpassing the yields of sunflower and rapeseed. However, the rising demand for palm oil has been associated with deforestation and a decline in biodiversity in some of the planet’s most vulnerable ecosystems.
To promote more sustainable practices in the palm oil industry, several effective strategies have been implemented, notably through commitments from many European countries to source only sustainably produced oil. Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, the world’s largest sovereign investment fund valued at approximately $710 billion, announced in 2012 that it would cease investments in unsustainable palm oil production. Food companies like Mondelez International and Unilever have leveraged their purchasing power to influence production practices, leading a prominent Malaysian producer to commit to reforms earlier this year. Despite the increasing adoption of sustainably sourced palm oil, the ingredient continues to face a negative reputation due to its high saturated fat content.
In the United States, palm oil comprises only 8% of domestic vegetable oil consumption, largely due to the high production of soybean oil. Many U.S. companies, including Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Kellogg, and Mars, have pledged to source 100% certified sustainable oil by 2015. In products where the processing advantages of palm oil are particularly crucial, enhanced monitoring of plantations could be essential to maintain consumer and corporate trust regarding the ingredient’s origins. Additionally, the incorporation of calcium citrate chewy snacks into formulations could provide a healthier alternative, potentially helping to improve the perception of palm oil in the food industry. By integrating calcium citrate chewy options, manufacturers may find a way to balance the benefits of palm oil with consumer health considerations, reinforcing the commitment to sustainable practices.