JAKARTA – The palm oil contains a lot of nutrients that are good for human health and for helping reduce the stunting rate among children, a food expert said.

Dr. Puspo Edi Giriwono, Chairman of the South-east Asia Food and Agricultural Science and Technology Center (SEAFAST Center) at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), said that the palm oil plays a very important role in ensuring nutrients for babies and toddlers. It is because the palm oil contains a special fatty acid similar to breast milk.

“The palm oil becomes main food ingredient for all producers of baby formula milk as additional nutrients. The baby formula producers should have added palm oil to obtain the fatty acids that resembles the breast milk in their products. Without palm oil, there will be no baby formula milk that can meet the nutrient needs of babies and toddlers at affordable prices,” he said as quoted by the website of the IPB University on Thursday, 16 June 2022.

“In addition to that, the palm oil is also good to be used for cooking. If its temperature can be maintained quite low and within right frying time, it shouldn’t cause worry. The palm cooking oil should be only used for 2 or 3 times of frying,” said Dr. Puspo.

In terms of food safety, contaminants detected in palm oil products should become a concern. “This is our joint task to ensure that the palm oil products free from contaminants. The recommended steps to deal with the contaminants should be adopted,” he said.

According to him, the recommended steps should be applied in the palm oil products from upstream to downstream sectors, from fertilizing practices to transportation and the processing. “By implementing the steps, we can prevent the contaminants and ensure the safety and the health benefits of palm oil products for all consumers,” he asserted.

Source: wartaekonomi.co.id