“Few of us are aware of how much … we eat – because we tend to consume it indirectly. … oil is used for cooking and can also be found in margarine, chocolate, ice cream or baked goods, as well as in cosmetics or soaps. … production has more than doubled over the last two decades. But the rising demand for … has come at a cost. To produce … land is being converted from forests.” (WWF website)
This is broadly the public perception of palm oil but the World Wildlife Fund is writing about soy. The environmental impact of soy production this century has been as adverse as that of palm oil in the 20th century. The message that most palm oil exported to Europe is now certified as sustainable has not sunk in.
This week I heard the inventor of a new brand of peanut butter say her key objective was to produce a product free of palm oil – on the BBC naturally. Packaging often proudly proclaims the product contains no palm oil. By the way when the ingredients coyly say vegetable oil it can be palm oil or soya.
I bought the product pictured above in the store by the tube station. To be honest I thought it was pasta until a dad bought some for his child telling her she would love it. Children love it, dogs apparently love it and I love it. It is made in Romania and sold in 32 countries. Even its name is lovely: Pufuleti.
I love it because it has only two ingredients: corn grits and palm oil. OK there is 0.6% salt too. And it says palm oil on the packet and the cartoon-cute dog might be a beagle, although Bertie would never get dressed up like that.