InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Palm oil has become the significant commodity in food industries in the world. Besides having good quality and abundant supply, palm oil qualifies the international standards that Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) determined through Code and Decode (CODEX) Alimentarius.
FAO is an international organization that is in charge to promote sustainable agriculture, food, and nutrition. The organization acknowledged palm oil is as one of 17 food oil that qualifies CODEX Alimentarius standards. CODEX Alimentarius Commission is an agency that FAO and World Health Organization (WHO) established to develop food safety standard in international standards.
As InfoSAWIT quoted from Buku Fakta Kelapa Sawit, one condition in CODEX Alimentarius Commission is the carotene substance in food oil. Carotene is the natural pigmen compound that delivers orange or red in fruits and vegetables. According to CODEX standards, food oil that qualifies the conditions should have carotene substance about 500 – 2.000 ppm (parts per million).
Palm oil qualifies the standard for its natural carotene reaches 500 - 700 ppm. Natural carotene in palm oil also delivers specific orange reddish. Besides delivering interesting color, carotene also has significant health advantages. It is precursor of vitamin A that human body needs of to maintain the healthy eyes, skin, and immune.
In food oil industries, palm oil is known for it has high stability. It means palm oil could durable to oxidation and chemical change from heat, light, and oxygen. Its stability makes palm oil as the good option to fry and process food in industrial scale.
Though palm oil qualifies the conditions in CODEX Alimentarius Commission about carotene substance, palm oil industries keep conducting research and developing to escalate health advantages by consuming palm oil.
To make sure sustainable palm oil industries, the government and related stakeholders always cooperate to improve palm oil agricultural practices, minimize environmental impacts, and escalate the people’s social condition around palm oil plantations.
By qualifying CODEX Alimentarius Commission standards, palm oil is proved to be the trusted material in food oil industries. The support to develop and implement sustainably agricultural practices would make sure that palm oil remains the sustainable, qualified source to fulfill the world needs. (T2)
