Food manufacturers in Malaysia must demand palm oil with lower levels of potential carcinogens 3-MCPDE and glycidyl esters

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 2): The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said on Tuesday (Nov 2) food manufacturers must demand palm oil containing lower levels of potential carcinogens 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol esters (3-MCPDE) and glycidyl esters (GE) from suppliers, so that their food products can be accepted by consumers. A carcinogen is a cancer-causing substance. In a statement, MPOB director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said palm oil refineries should be firm by requesting palm oil mills to supply crude palm oil (CPO) with lower chloride content to enable palm oil refineries to reduce 3-MCPDE in refined palm oil. "Alternatively, refineries could pay less for CPO with high [chloride levels] as it (the money saved) will [be] used to pay the cost of washing CPO in [the] refinery. "The issues of 3-MCPDE and GE in palm oil will no longer [be] a concern if all parties understand their roles in ensuring palm oil meets high quality and safety standards. "The presence of chloride in ...