Could Cultivated Palm Oil Save The Orangutans?
Concerned about the palm oil crisis? As animal lovers, we should be. This industry is behind the destruction of orangutan, elephant, rhino, and tiger habitats. The extensive deforestation caused by palm oil plantations threatens the existence of these endangered species and the future of our planet. In fact, they've stripped orangutans specifically of 90% of their natural home, leading to around 100,000 deaths over the past 16 years.
The problem is, although oil palm trees would normally live around 28-30 years, they are typically cut down (or burned) much earlier, before they become too tall for workers to be able to reach the fruit. This process is very harsh on our environment, and has led to rapid deforestation and tons of toxic waste. However, companies continue to use and love this oil, simply because it's so widely available, efficient, and hence, inexpensive.
While the world is slowly catching on to the environmental impacts of palm oil, global oil palm production is not decreasing. In fact, this oil is still present in around 50% of the packaged foods found at the supermarket, in one form or another. It's also a major player in cosmetic products. And what makes things worse is that there are hundreds of euphemisms for 'palm oil', so it can be hard to spot on labels. Find out how to identify palm oil-containing products here!
That said, there are now solutions set in place to combat palm oil production. And while 'sustainable palm oil' is questionable at best, there are now other alternatives to look forward to. Most recently, researchers have set out to develop lab-grown, or 'cultivated palm oil!'
Clean Food Group's 'Clean Palm Oil'
Set for its commercial launch in 2023, the UK-based company Clean Food Group has developed a revolutionary lab-grown palm oil product called 'Clean Palm', which is made with agricultural waste! Through fermentation, this company grows a natural yeast containing oils, proteins, and nutrients, separates it into various ingredients, and sells them to food and cosmetic companies.
Clean Food Group's Technical Advisor, Professor Christopher Chuck of the University of Bath (where the project began), had this to say about their clean oil alternative: “We’ve worked over many years to create robust palm oil alternatives that give us a real chance to cut the impact of a range of products that until now have only been possible to produce with palm oil and the deforestation, pollution and emissions that come with it.”
The company believes they should soon be able to sell their sustainable palm oil at a competitive price, which would be the key to disrupting the production of palm oil. They also claim that Clean Palm can be used as in all products that currently contain palm oil.
Not only is Clean Food Group set on reducing the demand for palm oil cultivation for food products, they are also developing cleaner proteins, flavors, and probiotics through their fermentation process.
Other Palm Oil Alternatives
Although Clean Food Group seems to be developing a promising 1:1 cultured palm oil substitute, this is not the only organization handling lab-grown oils. US company C16 Biosciences has also started 'brewing' their own palm oil via microbial fermentation!
Meanwhile, Zero Acre Farms' goal is to replace palm oil and vegetable oils with a new, healthier cultured alternative grown using non-GMO plant sugars. Their oil is composed of pure, healthy (monounsaturated) fats and natural antioxidants, providing a healthier nutritional profile than olive oil or avocado oil.
Zero Acre Farms' cultured oil also boasts a high smoke point, at 485ºF, and comes in 100% recyclable aluminum packaging. And best of all, it requires 85% less land than canola oil, 86% less GHG emissions than soybean oil, and 99% less water consumption that olive oil!
Would you try food products made with cultured oils? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest vegan trends, tips, and recommendations!