14.11.2018 (The Edge Markets) - KOTA KINABALU (Nov 14): It is important to put facts above perception with regards to the image of palm oil that has been said to be “bad for health” especially among European consumers, says United Plantations Bhd Chief Executive Director Datuk Carl Bek-Nielsen.

He said anything that is consumed in moderation is good for consumers’ health.

“In Europe, the general perception in France is that palm oil is bad for people because of the saturated fat. Look at the amount of palm oil consumed there — of the total saturated fats, palm oil makes up less than two per cent, but what about the cheese, milk and cream? These are high in saturated fat but the French live longer!

“Maybe we can learn a little bit from them,” he told reporters at the 16th Annual Roundtable Conference on Sustainable Palm Oil hosted by the RSPO.

Bek-Nielsen, who is also the RSPO Co-Chairman, was responding to a question from a Spain-based journalist who said the country’s olive oil is perceived as good for health.

“Look at the general health of the people here, we are not bad, aren’t we?” he said.

He explained that there are more than 300 reputable medical science papers which have been peer-reviewed, not by Malaysians, Indonesians or Thais who produce more than 90 per cent of the world’s oil palm, but by peer-reviewed medical science journals in Europe, Canada, the US and Australia.

“All these medical journals have all pointed out to one thing in common, that there is no correlation between the content of saturated fat intake and heart disease,” he added.

Meanwhile, RSPO Chief Executive Officer Datuk Darrel Webber said after November 2018, there would be no new plantings of oil palm on peatland regardless of its depth.

However, he said the existing oil palm plantations on peatlands would not be stopped.

“These are already existing. People live on it, work on it, derive income from it. Not only big players but small players,” he said adding that Malaysia’s peatland area currently stands at 650,000 hectares.

 RSPO’s move to stop oil palm cultivation on peatland is due to its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, he added.