The State Duma wants to label products with palm oil. What you need to know about him

Labeling of products using palm oil may be introduced in Russia. It is a part of many food products, including baby food. In large quantities, palm oil can lead to high cholesterol levels in the blood and provoke cancer formation, but it also serves as a source of antioxidants and vitamins A and E. The dangers and benefits of palm oil are described in the Izvestia article.

What was proposed in the State Duma

• Nadezhda Shkolkina, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy and a member of the United Russia faction, proposed introducing mandatory labeling for products that contain palm oil. She stated this at a meeting of the working group on improving the legislation of the Russian Federation in terms of providing children with high-quality and safe nutrition.

• According to Shkolina, the introduction of labeling on palm oil-containing products will allow consumers to find out which products contain this component and in what quantity. The MP admitted that palm oil may be prohibited for use in baby food, including infant formula.

What is palm oil?

• Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil obtained from the fruits of the African oil palm. Originally, this tree grew in West Africa, but now it is cultivated in many tropical countries. Malaysia and Indonesia are the main exporters of palm oil, accounting for up to 80% of global production. A subspecies of palm oil is palm kernel oil, which is obtained from the kernels of fruits, not from the pulp.

• Compared to other vegetable oils, palm oil is characterized by its low cost. Due to this, it takes up about a third of the total consumption of vegetable oils. Palm oil is most often used in the production of chocolate, cream, margarine, bread, biscuits, canned food, baby food. Among non-food products, palm oil can be found in toothpastes, soaps, body lotions, and it also serves as a raw material for biodiesel.

Is palm oil dangerous

Palm oil is 100% fat, and half of it is saturated fat, 40% monounsaturated and 10% polyunsaturated. In this structure, it is similar to coconut oil and animal fats found in pork, beef and lamb.

• Palm oil has a bad reputation due to its high proportion of saturated fats. Saturated fats increase cholesterol levels, they are associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which is why the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting their consumption to 10% of the daily energy value of the diet. Other vegetable oils, such as sunflower, rapeseed and linseed, have a much lower proportion of saturated fats than palm oil.

• Glycidyl esters are formed during the refining of palm oil. Although this is natural for any vegetable oil, their content in palm oil is much higher than in its analogues. Glycidyl esters belong to the group of potentially possible carcinogens, that is, scientists suggest that they can cause cancer, which is why palm oil is also blamed for the development of cancer.

Squeeze game: palm oil will be banned in products for schools and kindergartens

Will the range of canteens and buffets in educational institutions change and how will this help in the fight against counterfeiting

• However, in order for the danger to become real, it is necessary to consume palm oil in extremely high doses, which are beyond reasonable limits. In addition, manufacturers are required to monitor the content of glycidyl esters in palm oil and avoid excessive amounts of them.

• Close attention to palm oil is also due to its use in baby food. It is necessary to replace palmitic acid contained in breast milk. However, this substitution is not equivalent. Palmitic acid from palm oil is less absorbed by the child's body, forms insoluble compounds with calcium and can lead to constipation. Therefore, manufacturers use palm oil with a higher degree of purification in baby food than in other products.

Is there any benefit from palm oil

Palm oil is a source of antioxidants. This means that it is able to prevent the destruction of nerve cells and the brain and improve the functioning of the heart. However, this applies to crude oil that has not been refined. Palm oil is rarely used in this form, and it is quite expensive, as it has a short shelf life.

• Palm oil is also used to prevent vitamin A deficiency and is a rich source of vitamin E. They, in turn, help slow down the development of dementia, reduce the risk of stroke and prevent damage to the cerebral cortex.