10.02.2021 (www.nst.com.my) - KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) researchers have produced red palm-based extruded snack formulation, which is more nutritious as well as free from synthetic colourant and animal fats.

Director-general Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said MPOB's innovative technology, which enriches the extruded snacks with nutrients and pro-vitamin A from red palm oil, has already been commercialised in China.

"The technology can further increase the demand for palm oil by China and reduce the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among children," he said in a statement today.

Snack food is an emerging market in China and it was valued at US$3.08 trillion or approximately RM12.5 trillion in 2019.

Extruded snacks are popular in the country, generating annual sales of US$30.4 billion or RM123 billion with 5.1 million tonnes production in 2018.

In China, most people especially children, are very fond of extruded snacks and they are also inclined to buy food products that possess health benefits, regardless of the price tags.

According to reports, as many as four million tonnes of extruded snacks are consumed by the Chinese population every year. However, most of the extruded snacks in China are made using synthetic colourant and animal fats.

"Therefore, MPOB has produced an innovation that uses red palm oil to replace synthetic colourant and animal fats in the extruded snacks. This red palm-based snack is very suitable for sale as a premium product in China where the population is health-conscious," he said.

Ahmad explained that MPOB in collaboration with Shanghai University and with one of the largest snack producers in China conducted the research to produce the red palm-based extruded snack for two years since July 2018.

He said, the red palm-based extruded snack is well-received, as it is delicious and nutritious. It is rich in nutrients, natural carotene and free from synthetic colourant and hence, it can be good for health.

"Local manufacturers, especially small medium entrepreneurs are encouraged to commercialise this innovative technology because the red palm-based extruded snack has great market potential as it contains natural nutrients and carotenes which can enrich our health," he said.

https://www.nst.com.my/business/2021/02/664729/mpob-develops-palm-based-extruded-snack%C2%A0