Edible Oil In World Research Articles

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill): A Multipurpose Legume Shaping Our World

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill), indigenous to East Asia, has assumed a pivotal role as a global substantial crop, substantially contributing to food security, a wide spectrum of product lines and rigorous scientific exploration. This unassuming legume, bearing the scientific nomenclature Glycine max L. Merrill, has transcended its East Asian origins to become a cornerstone in supplying 25% of the world's edible oil and approximately two-thirds of the global livestock protein concentrate. The significance of soybeans extends beyond their utility in direct human consumption; they serve as an indispensable component in crop rotation, thereby fostering soil health and averting erosion. This comprehensive review embarks on a profound exploration of soybeans, encompassing their historical significance, botanical attributes, geographical distribution, climatic influence and reproductive biology. Furthermore, it provides a detailed account of advancements in genetic enhancement and biotechnological applications within soybean breeding, emphasizing the importance of transgenic soybean production. Disease resistance efforts, including the identification of resistance loci, markers and mutations, are thoroughly discussed, with a specific focus on the improvement of Indian soybean varieties.

Replacing Trans Fat: The Argument for Palm Oil with a Cautionary Note on Interesterification

To replace dietary trans fatty acids (TFA), two practical options exist: revert to a natural saturated fat without cholesterol (most likely palm oil or its fractions) or move to a newer model of modified fat hardened by interesterification (IE). This review summarizes the relative risks for cardiovascular disease inherent in these options. Interestingly, both types of fat have been the subject of nutritional scrutiny for approximately the last 40 years, and both have positive and negative attributes. Only during that period has palm oil production developed to the point where it has become the major edible oil in world markets, making clinical studies of it an important objective. On the other hand, approximately 25 human studies have fed interesterified fat in one form or another over this period, some for weeks, some as a single meal. Two types of diet designs exist. Several fed a small amount of interesterified fat, usually incorporated within a margarine, and stayed below the radar of biological detection of any abnormal metabolism. A few fed interesterified fat that incorporated stearic acid, as interesterified 18:0 (IE-18:0), even comparing it to trans fat and saturated fat, as a major part of total daily calories to assess its metabolic impact per se. These latter 5 to 6 studies clearly reveal negative biological effects on lipoproteins, blood glucose, insulin, immune function, or liver enzymes when relatively high intake of IE-18:0 or palmitic acid (IE-16:0) were fed in fats with sn2–saturated fatty acids. High intake of 18:0 in natural fats can depress total lipoproteins, while IE-18:0 and IE-16:0 at high levels adversely affect lipoprotein metabolism.Still other studies have supplied interesterified fat as a single meal or fed such fat daily only in a single snack, as opposed to incorporating the fat into the entire fat pool consumed at all meals in association with most foods (which is the more physiological approach and more apt to elicit effects). Even in meal studies, IE-18:0 typically delayed fat absorption postprandially, indicating its effect on fat metabolism originating, in part, in the intestine.Mainly 2 saturated fatty acids (18:0 or 16:0) have been interesterified to harden oils, using the 16:0 from fully hydrogenated palm oil or 18:0 from fully hydrogenated soybean oil as the source material. It is not clear that IE-16:0 is as problematic as IE-18:0, but IE-16:0 has been studied less. Levels between 8% energy (%E) and 12%E from 18:0 as interesterified fat (the typical diet provides about 2%E–4%E as 18:0 from natural fats) show the most effect. Detection of adverse effects would seem to start around 7%E–8%E as IE-18:0, but one can assume that effects are initiated, even if undetected, at a lower intake, similar to the situation with TFA. Thus, although an intake of 1%E to 4%E from IE-18:0 does not appear to influence lipoproteins, it is not necessarily the only system affected. The negative effects of IE-18:0 may be alleviated or masked by dilution with other fats, especially by adding 18:2-rich polyunsaturated oils to the diet. This is similar to the trans fat story, i.e., if a limited intake of TFA is heavily diluted with other oils, the consumption of TFA fails to be detected as an adverse effect.Accordingly, more research is warranted to determine the appropriateness of interesterified fat consumption, particularly before it becomes insidiously embedded in the food supply similar to TFA and intake levels are achieved that compromise long-term health.

Tocotrienols and cancer: Beyond antioxidant activity

AbstractThe edible oil industry has emerged as an important provider of raw material for the extraction of vitamin E. Vegetable oils, especially the seed oils, are rich sources of tocopherols. However, in palm oil, vitamin E occurs as a complex mixture of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Various tocotrienol isomers of vitamin E in palm oil have been reported to possess interesting biological and physiological properties not generally evident with tocopherol‐rich vitamin E preparations. They include potential blood cholesterol‐lowering and cardioprotective effects, more efficient antioxidant activity in biological systems, and possible anti‐cancer and neuroprotective effects. With the emergence of palm oil as the largest edible oil in world markets, technology is now available to extract tocotrienol‐rich palm vitamin E. Initiatives in Malaysia to manufacture biodiesel will further generate large amounts of micronutrients, especially tocotrienols, to be available to the nutraceutical and functional food industry.

Palm oil in search of a lobby

Once an ornamental plant, oil palm is now a great asset in the world edible oil scene. Of the dozen major edible oils of vegetable origin, two (soyabean and palm oil) constitute nearly 50% of total world production. They have also grown at over twice the rate of oils and fats in general. Oil palm could be an ideal solution to the growing and acute edible oil shortage in India, estimated at about 1 million tons. Oil palm cultivation on a large scale was suggested some 20 years ago by the then chairman of Hindustan Lever to avert edible oil famine in the 1970s and 1980s. But alas, the plans remained on paper. Apart from the southern belt of India, Andaman and Nicobararo are ideally suited for oil palm cultivation.

Place of rapeseed in the edible oil market.

AbstractThe potential for rapeseed oil in the world edible oil market is evident in the statistics of net exports of the principal vegetable oilseeds from primary producing countries. The last complete year for which figures are available is 1970, and in that year soybeans accounted for some 52% and rapeseed only 7.5% in oil equivalent. Since soybeans have only ca. 50% of the oil content of rapeseed, they are bought mainly for their yield of high protein meal. Conversely, rapeseed is bought for its oil content and produces a meal that is not only lower in protein but up to this time has been less acceptable as an ingredient in animal feed formulations. Fortunately for rapeseed, these problems are being tackled diligently and should be overcome in the near future. When this point has been reached, rapeseed will be a much stronger competitor in world markets for protein meal. The trend in the use of rapeseed oil in the Canadian domestic market is an indicator of the potential in world markets. It is displacing other edible oils that have dominated the Canadian market in the past. In the 1971 calendar year, 35.6% or 160.5 million pounds, i.e., 73,000 metric tons, of vegetable oil used in the manufacture of margarine, shortening and salad oils was rapeseed oil. Rapeseed oil is competing keenly with soybean oil in the Canadian market and in the future should be able to greatly enlarge its share of world trade.