In the usual silence of the regime media, a risky proposal for an international standard for ‘high oleic’ palm oil was discussed in the spring. Yet another shady operation by palmocrats, at Codex Alimentarius this time.
Foreword. The Codex Alimentarius
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) was established in 1963 by theFood Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). In order to share and establish international standards and guidelines for all member states of the above organizations. With the dual objective of ensuring the health of consumers and the fairness of business practices involving food and beverages.
The Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) is one of the subsidiary bodies of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Its task is to develop global standards for animal and vegetable fats and oils, including olive oil. The CCFO was hosted for more than four decades (1964-2007) by the United Kingdom, and later by Malaysia. (1)
Codex Committee on Fats and Oils, palm-folies
A hypothetical ‘high oleic’ palm oil was the subject of lively debate, at the last CCFO meeting. (2) On a motion by Colombia, the leading producer of palm oil in the Americas. (3)
The fat in question is derived from a new variety of oil palm called ‘OxG’ that would come from crossing-with the aid of genetic engineering? – Between the varieties Elaeis Oleifera and Elaeis Guinensis. (4)
OxG palm oil differs from that derived from Elaeis Guinensis only in that its average composition has a slightly higher oleic acid content.
Colombia, however, took the opportunity to propose an amendment to the standard for vegetable oils (5), introducing a new category called‘High oleic acid palm oil‘
High oleic palm oil, shady operation
Colombia’s proposed designation, high oleic palm oil, is fraudulent and unacceptable. Taking into account that OxG palm oil has a laughable increase in oleic acid content (12 percent on average). Viepplier where it is considered that:
– olive oil-while not referring to oleic acid, (6) in its designation-contains an average of 70 percent of its total fatty acids,
– for sunflower oil, Codex has defined ‘high oleic’ (when this fatty acid is present in 75-90 percent quantities) and ‘medium oleic’ (for values between 41 and 71 percent) standards.
This great hoax is so brazen that, for once, the European and U.S. delegations appear to have expressed similar misgivings. In the boldest of assumptions, where oleic acid content is consistent with the limits set for sunflower oil, refer to ‘average acid content
oleic’
Post Scriptum
What if OxG is a GMO, or a ‘new GMO‘(NPBT, New Plant Breeding Tecnique)? While waiting for scientific investigations, we should prepare for the risk of new litigation in the WTO. With the aggravation of CETA just around the corner (7) and TTIP in limbo.
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) Malaysia, together with Indonesia, expresses about 85 percent of the production of the fat most used in food production, palm oil. Malaysia alone produced 69 million tons of palm oil in 2014 (FAOSTAT data)
(2) In Kuala Lumpur, 25.2 to 3.3.2017.
(3) Colombia, with 3.3 million tons, expressed 5.8 percent of the world’s entire palm oil production in 2014 (FAOSTAT data)
(4)Elaeis guinensis is the variety currently most widely used in plantations in Indonesia, Malaysia and elsewhere. In contrast,Elaeis oleifera, itself native to the African continent, has been little used to date because of its low oil yield. The hybrid between the two species was developed with the intent of finding a species resistant to a mold(Ganoderma zonatum) to whichElaeis guinensis is susceptible. To the point of having caused, in past years, the loss of about 100,000 hectares of plantations in Colombia alone
(5) CODEX STAN 210-1999
(6) Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid whose health benefits are generally known. It is present to varying degrees in all oils of vegetable origin, as well as in animal fats
(7) If even the EU or any of its member states try to bar the doors to new products of uncertain derivation, it may run the risk of litigation(Investment Court System) brought by any company-even Colombian ones, for example-that is based in Canada
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
