General information about palm oil
Fats and oils from oil palm origin
Palm oil is made from the fruit of the oil palm through various refining processes. Its worldwide spread is due to the fact that it is widely used due to its unique properties. The spread of the use of palm oil is also due to the changing trends in lifestyle, as well as the needs for food based on convenience and health considerations.
It has four basic traditional uses:
– for cooking as cooking oil
– for making margarines
– as solid fat
– as confectionary fat
Palm oil is a popular raw material for solid fat products and in the liquid oil sector, especially for industrial baking. It has many characteristics that are desirable in the food industry. A big advantage is its oxidative stability, which also ensures a better shelf life of the final product. The high smoking point of palm fat (>190°C) allows it to be used for longer as a cooking oil. Accepted cooking oil for making chips, biscuits, cakes, baked goods, French fries or even instant noodles.
Palm oil is the ideal raw material for hard fats and margarines, as it has a solid fat content of 20-28% at 20°C. Due to its crystallinity, it is also a popular raw material for the production of table and industrial margarines.
Products are often made using palm oil and palm kernel oil, possibly with the addition of other vegetable fats; typically in the production of cooking oils, hard fats, margarines, butter creams, sweets and ice creams. It is constantly conquering new markets in the area of use in the food industry. It is also used in the preparation of emulsion-based powders and foods, mayonnaise, salad dressings, soup powders, and cheese imitations.
Palm oil is also widely used in non-food industries, such as in the production of soap and cosmetics.
General information about coconut oil
Fats and oils from coconut palm origin
Refined coconut oil is produced from virgin coconut oil using a chemical-free process, resulting in a filtered, cleaner, completely colorless and odorless oil. The main advantage lies in the fact that during its use, neither the taste nor the smell of coconut can be felt in the food, since it is actually an oil with a completely neutral taste and color: white when frozen, crystal clear and transparent when melted.
Compared to other fats and oils, coconut oil is known to have a significant effect on health due to its high lauric acid content. It can have a positive effect on digestive and intestinal functions, detoxification organs, and promote weight loss. It can have an antioxidant and cell regenerating effect, it does not form free radicals even when heated to 185°C. It has a skin softening, soothing, antiseptic effect, and can promote the healing of the skin in case of eczema or herpes infection.
Since it can also be used at high temperatures (up to 190°C), it offers an ideal solution for frying in plenty of fat. With proper treatment, coconut oil can be used to fry without the smell of oil or smoke. Thanks to its high smoking point, it does not initiate harmful oxidative processes during baking, which is why it can be filtered and used several times. Its versatile use does not stop at main dishes: coconut fat can also be used well for cakes, and in many cases it can easily replace the fat needed for desserts and sweets.
