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Evaluating Global Barriers to the Use of Red Palm Oil as an Intervention Food to Prevent Vitamin A Deficiency
Authors:Betty J Burri
Affiliation:Author is with Western Human Nutrition Research Center, USDA, ARS, 430 W. Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616, U.S.A. Direct inquiries to author Burri (E‐mail: betty.burri@ars.usda.gov).
Abstract:Abstract: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is an important cause of blindness and premature death. Red palm oil (RPO) is the richest food source of VA‐forming carotenoids. RPO carotenoid concentration and bioavailability were evaluated and this data used to estimate the amount of RPO needed to meet VA requirements. Amounts ranged from 6.7 to 29.2 g/d (1.5 to 6.5 tsp/d), which are easily consumed. The amount of RPO needed to supply recommended dietary intakes of VA for all 208100000 individuals most in danger for VAD worldwide for 1 y is 0.80 million metric tons, a fraction of annual world palm oil production. Despite its abundance, RPO has seldom been used for VAD prevention on a national level. Pareto charts were constructed to highlight the variables that influence the ability of RPO to prevent VAD on the national level. The most important variable by far was refining method. Most refining methods are designed to remove color and flavor from RPO, resulting in a bland product that lacks carotenoids. Thus, the important barriers to the use of RPO as a food‐based intervention to prevent VAD appear to be that: (1) RPO requires refining, limiting its profitability and availability for small farmers. (2) The goal of most refining methods is to create a low‐cost bland, odorless, and colorless fat which requires removal of carotenoids. (3) Cost, since RPO use competes with high‐dose VA supplements, which are heavily subsidized. It appears that RPO could prevent VAD in many food‐deficit countries if carotenoids were conserved during oil refining, and costs were low enough to make it an attractive alternative to nutritional supplements.
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