JAKARTA – There is no denying the fact that palm oil is ubiquitous in our everyday lives. Globally, thanks to its highest productivity, highest efficiency and highest versatility, we encounter it in most of products sold in supermarkets: Food products, cooking oil, animal feed, toothpaste, detergent, supplements, skincare, car seats, car paints, vehicle tires, bio-lubricants, helmets, inks, various dyes, biodiesel, etc.
Humans Depend On Palm Oil
Palm oil is the most widely consumed vegetable oil in the world. Around 50-60 percent of packaged products sold in world supermarkets contain palm oil. This is because of its versatility that allows its wide applications to various kinds of products. Generally, the palm oil is only known as a raw material for making cooking oil. But actually, it is also used by manufacturing industries worldwide as a raw material for making various types of products, such as food and beverages, toileteries, cosmetics, and energy.
People around the world also consume products processed with or containing palm oil, such as cooking oil, creamer, chocolate spread, bread, margarine, cereal, milk, cookies, potato chips, mayonnaise, and others. Many multinational companies such as Unilever, Nestle, Kraft Foods, and others, use palm oil to produce their food products.
Prof. Dr. Purwiyatno Hariyadi : Palm Oil Is Healthy Oil
IPB Professor and SEAFAST researcher, Prof. Dr. Purwiyatno Hariyadi said that palm oil has superior characteristics that cause it is widely applied in food products. Palm oil has characteristics such as being stable at high temperatures against oxidation or other degradation processes, having natural preservatives so it lasts longer, a soft and creamy texture, no smell, no taste, has a tendency to crystallize, and has nutritional content that is beneficial for human body.
Palm oil has a unique, balanced and flexible composition of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, making it a raw material for derivative products with versatile functionality such as emulsifiers and stabilizers. Coupled with relatively more competitive (cheap) prices, large and stable supply throughout the year, the world food industries have increasingly preferred palm oil.
Besides in food and beverage products, palm oil is also found in toiletries, make-up, skincare and household products (detergents and other household cleaners). In toiletries and other cleaning products, palm oil (or its processed form as palm biosurfactant) has the ability to act as a cleansing agent which produces a rich foaming effect and has broad spectrum microbial properties which are effective in killing bacteria and viruses and can easily remove dirt while still maintaining healthy skin.
Palm-based Skincare Is A Global Favorite
The use of palm oil and derivatives as raw material to produce skincare products has been increasingly preferable among global community. It is because palm oil is a natural raw material which excels in terms of safety compared to mineral oils and other synthetic components. (*)
The palm-based skincare products are free from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds which are harmful to human skin. Bioactive compounds such as carotene (vitamin A) and vitamin E in palm oil which are rich in antioxidants also have benefits for healthy skin beauty such as moisturizing the skin, accelerating the healing of burns, being able to regenerate the skin, slowing down aging (anti-aging), etc. (Longganathan et al., 2010). Other bioactive compounds in palm oil, such as squalene and ubiquinone are also among the ingredients that are widely used in skincare products (Sinaga, 2021).
There are many other non-food products that contain palm oil and are widely used by the public. For example, in energy, palm biodiesel is used as a substitute for fossil diesel which has relatively lower emissions, making it helpful in reducing GHG emissions. Palm oil is also used as an ingredient in making other vehicle components, such as car seats, car paint, tires, bio-lubricants, and even helmets. Even school and office activities cannot be separated from palm oil products which can be found in book ink (palm-based ink), dyes on clothes and wall paint. Palm products are also used in various kinds of household furniture, such as cupboards, chairs and tables.
Therefore, all of those facts have clearly shown that palm oil products have become part of global human life in 24-hour everyday. In fact, the existence of the palm oil industries is very important in supporting the lives of people in the world. (*)
Palmoilina.asia. Setiap Hari Bersama Sawit, Kok Bisa ? [Infografis 2024]. https://palmoilina.asia/berita-sawit/hidup-bersama-sawit-tiap-hari/. April 6, 2024
