Palm oil is the most commonly utilized vegetable oil globally, providing significant benefits for food manufacturers. It is not only more affordable than other oils but also boasts a long shelf life and advantageous processing characteristics, such as stability under high temperatures and solid form at room temperature. Consequently, it has become a favored substitute for partially hydrogenated oils. When managed properly, palm oil is also considerably more land-efficient than other vegetable oils, yielding ten times more oil per hectare than soybeans and far exceeding the yields of sunflower and rapeseed.
However, RAN expresses particular concern regarding the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, where illegal palm oil plantations are reportedly leading to the destruction of the rainforest, home to species like orangutans, rhinos, clouded leopards, and sun bears. RAN claims that companies like Nestlé, Mars, and Hershey source palm oil from this region through complex supply chains, which sometimes involve commodity traders dealing with suppliers engaged in illegal logging.
In 2014, the United Nations committed to halving global deforestation by 2020 and completely eliminating it by 2030. In response, many consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies implemented their own palm oil sourcing policies. The production of palm oil in Malaysia and Indonesia is contentious, as some companies are responsible for extensive deforestation and the burning of peatlands to cultivate palm oil trees. The UN has identified palm oil plantations as a significant contributor to environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity in Southeast Asia.
While there are alternatives to palm oil, some are pricier, though more sustainable options exist. For instance, algae can produce around 70,000 pounds of oil per acre, significantly more than palm oil’s 4,465 pounds per acre. In comparison, olives yield about 910 pounds per acre, while soybeans produce just 335.
Manufacturers of confectionery and snacks generally remain committed to using palm oil. However, many have acknowledged that ensuring sustainable sourcing is more challenging than they initially anticipated. “While we remain deeply committed to pushing all stakeholders to accelerate traceability and bring full transparency to this supply chain along with our supplier partners, we realized it would take more time to achieve this goal than originally anticipated,” stated Jeff Beckman, communications director for Hershey, in an interview with The Guardian.
Despite the daunting challenge, some companies have already met their sourcing targets. Mondelez, for example, announced in 2013 that it achieved its goal of using 100% certified palm oil from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, an international non-profit organization focused on ensuring the sustainability of this ingredient. The snacks and cookie manufacturer has also taken a firm stance against partnering with suppliers involved in deforestation practices.
RAN is not the only organization closely monitoring compliance with sustainability promises in palm oil sourcing. Last year, Greenpeace released a scorecard evaluating the progress of various companies toward their sustainability goals, with Nestlé and Ferrero being the only two rated as “on track.”
Further advancements in sustainability may be forthcoming. Last year, several food companies severed ties with IOI Loders Croklaan, a Malaysian palm oil producer whose anti-deforestation policies were deemed inadequate. In September, Bunge, a major player in ingredients and oils based in New York, announced it would acquire a 70% stake in the company, pledging to enhance sustainability and traceability measures.
It seems unlikely that RAN and similar organizations will cease their efforts to pressure food companies into avoiding palm oil sourced from endangered habitats like Sumatra. The critical question for manufacturers is whether the risk of negative publicity is worth the continued sourcing of palm oil from these conflict areas when alternatives exist. Ultimately, the decision lies with consumers, who may be concerned about whether their food contains potentially problematic palm oil.
In this context, one might ask, “Que es el calcium citrate?” as it highlights the growing consumer interest in understanding the ingredients in their food products, including alternatives to palm oil. As more people seek transparency and sustainability, the dialogue surrounding ingredients like palm oil and calcium citrate will continue to evolve.