KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOB) says it will continue to promote palm oil as a great solution for halal products.

Its chief executive officer, Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron, said palm oil besides being halal, provided the additional benefits of reduced cost, and nutritional goodness.

"Fats are macronutrients and essential ingredients in most food including snacks and packaged meals, for the catering industry and supermarket food supplies. Palm oil has the potential to drive the fat components of the halal food industry," he said in his presentation entitled "Palm Based Solutions For the Halal Food Industry" at the World Halal Forum 2007, here Monday.

Yusof said MPOB has introduced a saturated animal fat replacer (SAFaR), made from 100 percent Malaysian palm oil and that it qualified for halal certification. It can be an alternative for food producers wishing to replace raw beef fat, chicken fat and chicken skin in the production of meat especially sausages, burger, meat ball and nuggets.

SAFar has a big potential in the halal food industry moving forward as it has huge demand in major markets like the Middle East and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) countries.

About 300,000 kg of sausages and beef burgers are in demand in Middle East and OIC countries per month, he said.

The World Halal Forum 2007, being held here until May 8 is being hosted by the Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC).

A total of 889 participants from 23 countries, including non-Muslims, attended the two-day forum which was held for the second time.

-- BERNAMA