MOSTA E-PLATFORM: “Palm Oil: Nature’s Gift to the World”
At a recent dialogue on “Sustainable Nutrition : How to feed the Planet and Safeguard the environment” on May 21, 2020, two sustainability and nutrition top experts viz. Dr. Maria Vincenza Chiriaco of Italy and Mr. Michelle Desilets of Orangutan Land trust supported palm oil as the most sustainable fat in the world. Dr. Maria quoted that Lancet Commission EAT has included palm oil in its “ideal diet”. MOSTA plans to establish an E-platform which updates on the various points by active researchers and authorities making information more accessible. The E-platform will be supported by MOSTA International Scientific Advisory Panel.
| No. | Topic | Proposed Expert |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | As a micronutrient, it is as good as virgin olive oil if not much better. | Prof Winnie Chee Siew Swee |
| 2 | It is versatile for applications both liquid and solid products without resorting to hydrogenation. | Dr Sivaruby Kanagaratnam |
| 3 | Palm oil has been recognized as a good, stable and healthy frying oil compared with other competing oils due to its stability to oxidation. | Prof Chan Eng Seng (MONASH UNIVERSITY) |
| 4 | Three important phytonutrients are available from palm oil. | |
| a) Tocotrienols considered as the vitamin of the new millennium. | Dr. Fu Ju Yen (MPOB) | |
| b) Carotenoids mainly α and β Carotene which have been proven to be beneficial to eye health in populations with vitamin A deficient diet. Red palm oils that contain Co-enzyme Q10 has 10 times greater antioxidant property than vitamin E. | Datuk Dr. Choo Yuen May | |
| c) Polyphenolics which have been proven to be nutritious including anti-diabetic. | Dr.Ravigadevi Sambanthamurthi | |
| 5 | The oil palm is the highest oil yielding crop (4-10 times more than competing oil crops), thus making palm oil production more sustainable. | Prof Dennis Murphy |
| 6 | The potential of palm oil in providing biomass as carbon source and renewable energy. | Prof Loh Teck Peng NTU |
| 7 | Palm oil is the most suitable source for Biodiesel. The biggest advantage that biodiesel has over gasoline and petroleum diesel is its environmental friendliness | Datuk Dr. Choo Yuen May |
