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Feb 15, 2013

The Benefits of Using Palm Oil

Palm oil is a natural raw material which can be used almost anywhere and is thus one of the most popular agricultural commodities. The versatile oil has been used from washing liquids and soap to margarine and cosmetics production. Almost every consumables product contains palm oil. In the European countries, the crude palm is also a primary substitute for rapeseed oil.
Palm Oil For Bio-diesel
In Europe, there is a high demand on crude palm oil for bio-diesel purposes. Many major producers are investing heavily in the refineries needed for the process to convert crude palm into bio-diesel. Due to the current high prices of fossil crude oil, bio-diesel is deemed as the alternative fuel source to gasoline for vehicles.
Edible Oil For Food Production
Palm oil is an important and versatile raw material for both food and non-food industries. It contributes to the economic development of the producing countries and to the diets of millions of people around the world. The oil is approximately 50% saturated fat and 50% unsaturated fat. Due to such a unique characteristic palm oil may be separated under controlled thermal conditions into two components, a solid form (palm stearin) and a liquid form (palm olein). Palm oil is often used in healthy organic foods since the only other solid organic fats are highly saturated butter and coconut oil.
Crude Palm Oil Production
Due to its natural form, palm oil is entirely Genetic Modified (GM) free and has the highest yield per hectare than any other nature oil. This is recognized as a key benefit due to environmental pressures on its expansion to eco-sensitive areas. Plantation land areas are widely located in tropical region of Asia, Africa and South America. The largest producers are Malaysia and Indonesia with a combined output of around 90 percent of the world trade. Malaysia claims that in 1995 it was the world's largest producer with 51% of world production.
In summary, palm oil and its fractions are practical and attractive choice for importers and food manufacturers especially in third 3rd world countries. This is due to its price competitiveness, year round supply, diversity and versatility for edible and non-edible applications.