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Palms Of Controversy: The Palm Oil Industry

Satisfactory Essays

1. Introduction The palm oil, is an ingredient used in many products we find on our shelves. Because of the properties it holds, it is used in a variety of products that other oils cannot be used in. Palm oil is used as a cooking oil and shortening. It is used in the manufacture of margarine, non-dairy creamers and ice cream. It is sometimes used in products in replacement of animal fats.
Traditionally, about 80% of palm oil is for edible use and 20% for non-edible use such as oleochemical manufacture. The traditional products for food are: reduced fat spread, ice cream, coffee whiteners, whipping cream, filled milk, mayonnaise and salad dressings, trans fatty acid-free formulations, palm-based cheese. The non- foods- soap, drilling mud …show more content…

But the issues have been to have alternatives to replace palm oil cultivation and production. Other alternatives like the soy bean and others do not prosses the qualities that palm oil has. However, the views of drivers of the socio-economy, governmental decision and environmental activists that make palm oil “Palms of Controversies” (Rival and Levang, 2014). 1.1. The driving forces behind a more Sustainable Palm Oil Production.
Balch (2013, July 4) cited the three corporations involved in designing the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) - Anglo-Dutch consumer giant Unilever, Swiss retail chain Migros, and the UK arm of Swedish food manufacturer Aarhus (now AKK).
Since Palm oil is most widely used within the European region, the aforementioned companies, have ensured that with the RSPO formation, they will push for a more sustainable palm oil. But the real impacts are felt in the regions where palm oil is produced and these are developing counties that do not have stringent measures to deal with issues of unsustainable palm oil. In Asia the process has been very slow. The public have had no interest in environmental issues. Consumers are very reluctant and are not willing to pay more for sustainable

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