U.S. SCIENTISTS SAY TROPICAL OILS HEALTH RISK

  U.S. scientists said some tropical
  vegetable oils can be hazardous to consumers whose health is at
  risk because of high levels of saturated fat, lending weight to
  a campaign by the American Soybean Association (ASA) for
  labelling changes.
      The scientists appeared to support an ASA charge, denied by
  Malaysian palm growers, that imported coconut, palm and palm
  kernel oils contain high levels of saturated fat and thus raise
  blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.
      In a petition filed in January, the ASA asked the U.S. Food
  and Drug Administration (FDA) to require palm, palm kernel and
  coconut oils to be identified as saturated fats on food
  manufacturers' labels.
      The FDA responded to the ASA in a letter saying it would
  consider the petition as a comment to a proposed rule dealing
  with cholesterol and fatty acid labelling of foods.
      Malaysian oil palm growers have said the charges by the ASA
  that palm oil consumption increases blood cholesterol and
  contributes to heart disease are untrue.
      But Steve Chang, Professor of Food Science at Rutgers
  University, said, "Palm oil is definitely not good for human
  health because it has a high content of saturated fatty acid."
      He added that the higher the fatty acid, the greater the
  blood cholesterol level. "It has been well established that
  high cholesterol levels will have a higher level of heart
  disease," he said.
      A Malaysian Oil Palm Growers Council official, Borge
  Bek-Nielsen, has said studies have shown that palm oil is
  cholesterol-free, low in saturated fats, has anti-cancer
  properties and prevents blood clotting and blocking of arteries
  in humans.
      Bek-Nielsen said Americans consume more saturated fats
  daily through food like butter, bacon, ham and beef than from
  palm oil, which, he added is rich in vitamins A and E.
      David Kritchevsky, Associate Director of the Wistar
  Institute in Philadelphia, appeared to take the ASA view on
  labelling. "What people really have to learn is to read labels,"
  said Kritchevsky. "The more a consumer knows, the more likely he
  will make an intelligent choice."
      The U.S. scientists said they had no doubt imported palm,
  palm kernel and coconut oils contain high saturated fat levels.
      Kritchevsky, a specialist in nutrition, said, "More
  saturated fat would raise cholesterol levels...So, from that
  point of view it's a health risk. High cholesterol levels in
  the blood are a risk factor for heart disease."
      Susanne Harris, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S.
  Agriculture Department's Food and Consumer Services Division,
  said the health risk among consumers of vegetable oils with
  high saturated fat levels was highest among those who have
  heart disease.
      The scientists said more than 50 pct of the fatty acid
  content of the tropical oils was saturated, whereas less than
  20 pct of the fatty acid content of soybean oil was saturated.
      David Ericksen, director of ASA's technical services, said
  U.S. soybean producers could regain about one-half of the 273
  mln dlrs in sales lost to imported tropical oils if consumers
  were aware the vegetable oils were high in saturated fat.
      Imported tropical oils displace 171 mln bushels of U.S.
  soybean sales in the U.S. market, ASA estimates.
      U.S. imports of coconut oil during January totaled 82.9 mln
  lbs compared with 48.0 mln lbs in December and 106.5 mln a year
  earlier, according to Commerce Department figures.
      Imports of palm oil totaled 44.0 mln lbs compared with 51.3
  mln lbs in December and 85.2 mln a year earlier.
  

