JAKARTA – Red palm oil is considered to have a big potential to increase the quality of nutrition for the general public and create a new economic opportunity in regions.
Its content of pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, and squalene suggests that this downstream palm oil product could be further developed to support public health.
Prof. Endang Prangdimurti, a professor at the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology at Bogor University of Agriculture (IPB University), stated that red palm oil contains nutrients beneficial to human health, including high levels of tocopherols, tocotrienols, and carotenoids.
According to Endang, red palm oil also contains three elements crucial for human health: pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, and squalene.
If utilized optimally, red palm oil has the potential to serve as a solution to help address the issue of stunting in Indonesia. “So, red palm oil indeed has a very high nutritional content,” said Endang in Jakarta on Thursday (13/08/2026).
She explained that pro-vitamin A plays a role in regulating genes of growth hormone, maintaining the immune system, and helping to prevent digestive infections.
Meanwhile, squalene functions in the formation of “good” cholesterol, which is a key factor in brain development.
Endang advocates for the development of red palm oil into supplements, such as capsules or syrups.
In her view, these forms could be viable options for increasing the utilization of red palm oil as a product with various health benefits.
“Products from the red palm oil could be presented similarly to fish oil. It would be consumed as a supplement,” she explained.
She noted that the health benefits of red palm oil include the potential to prevent and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Endang hopes that developing red palm oil into a supplement will boost public acceptance of the product.
She also encourages an increase in the public consumption of red palm oil so that its health benefits can be enjoyed widely among the general public.
The government, through the Plantation Fund Management Board (BPDP), has consistently fostered innovation and development of value-added downstream products of palm oil industries via its research and development program.
Red palm oil is considered one of the downstream products with significant potential. “Hopefully, with a variety of improvements, red palm oil products will gain greater public acceptance,” she said.
Potential to generate regional economies
Chairman of the Association of Strategic Socio-Economic Cadres (AKSES), Suroto advocates for the distribution of red palm oil products through the Merah Putih Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa Merah Putih–KDMP) network to ensure broader public access.
He believes that red palm oil offers numerous health benefits and holds potential as a flagship regional product.
Suroto stated that establishing an industrial ecosystem of red palm oil could create new economic hubs in villages, particularly in areas surrounding oil palm plantations and processing mills.
He is convinced that producing red palm oil at the home-industry scale can foster equitable economic growth across various regions.
“We hope to see flagship products like red palm oil emerge from household industries in various regions. The KDMP is expected to serve as a business network and promotional platform for these products,” he said.
According to Suroto, the potential of red palm oil needs to be optimized to generate positive impacts not only on health but also on the economy and the social well-being of the community.
From an economic perspective, developing red palm oil as a downstream palm product can drive job creation and improve community welfare.
This downstream product is also seen as a way to stabilize the prices of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) for farmer cooperatives and boost the competitiveness of the national palm oil industry.
“Downstreaming palm oil into red palm oil products will certainly generate both economic and social added value. These positive impacts will be directly enjoyed by communities in rural areas,” he concluded. (*)
Sawitindonesia.com. Potensi Besar Minyak Sawit Merah Meningkatkan Kualitas Gizi Masyarakat. https://sawitindonesia.com/potensi-besar-minyak-sawit-merah-meningkatkan-kualitas-gizi-masyarakat/.
