Cargill Begins Offering Certified Sustainable Palm Oil to North American Food Manufacturers

RSPO certification for Cargill’s United States refineries follows its European and Malaysian operations, which were certified to offer RSPO products to food manufacturers in 2010.

6/14/2011 --- Cargill has announced at the 2011 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Food Expo that it is now offering palm oil certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) to North American food manufacturers.

This step by Cargill the largest North American importer of palm oil supports the company’s goal that the palm oil it imports is grown sustainably. RSPO certification for Cargill’s United States refineries follows its European and Malaysian operations, which were certified to offer RSPO products to food manufacturers in 2010.

“Cargill is committed to improving the sustainability of the palm oil supply chain,” said Kris Knudson, national sales manager, Cargill Oils & Shortenings. “It is our hope that all palm oil plantations become RSPO-certified, and our eventual goal is to have a 100-percent RSPO certified supply chain.”

Over the past several years, Cargill has taken several steps towards this goal:
• Cargill has been an active RSPO member since 2004 to promote the growth of sustainable palm and use of sustainable palm oil.
• Cargill was one of the 15 plantation owners that volunteered to pilot the RSPO’s Principles & Criteria prior to their finalization in 2007.
• Cargill’s palm plantation, PT Hindoli in Sumatra, Indonesia, was one of the first 15 to receive RSPO certification in 2009.
• Cargill formed a partnership with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) to assess areas of orangutan populations for future study and conservation, and to share best practices in palm plantation development.
• Smallholder farmers at Cargill’s PT Hindoli site were the first to be certified under the RSPO’s Smallholder Principles & Criteria in late 2010.
• Cargill is collaborating with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to assess its palm oil suppliers in Indonesia to assess progress amongst its Indonesian palm oil suppliers in implementing the Principles and Criteria established by the RSPO.
• At the end of 2010, 70 percent of Cargill’s total crude palm oil was purchased from RSPO members.
• Cargill offers its customers the option to utilize all physical chain of custody trading models authorized by the RSPO (“segregation” and “mass-balance”) to help them understand RSPO requirements and enable them to make the best choice to meet their business needs.

Sustainability initiatives are taking on greater urgency for food manufacturers as consumers, retailers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) push for an increased focus on environmental and social issues,” added Knudson. “At Cargill, we are committed to helping lead efforts to move the palm oil industry toward more sustainable production and are encouraging third-party suppliers to join RSPO and attain certification.”

Meanwhile Cargill has introduced its newest healthier oil at the IFT – Clear Valley 80 High Oleic Canola Oil a natural, high oleic oil that delivers the same nutritional benefits featured in earlier generations of Clear Valley products. It is a first-of-its-kind product because it has low levels of saturated fat, zero grams trans fat (per 14 gram serving), and a cost-saving solution due to its exceptional shelf life.

Today, many consumers are seeking snacks and baked goods with less saturated fat. In fact, according to NMI’s 2010 Health & Wellness Trends Report, 56 percent of consumers said that they would like to have less saturated fats in their foods, and 41 percent indicated that they check “saturated fat” most often on packaged food and beverage labels. With low levels of saturated fat and zero grams trans fat (per 14 gram serving), Clear Valley 80 High Oleic Canola Oil provides the most consumer-friendly label of any vegetable oil currently available.

Because it resists oxidation and the development of flavor “off” notes, Clear Valley 80 High Oleic Canola Oil allows food manufacturers to forgo familiar formulation challenges associated with the use of canola oil to create great tasting cereals, snacks and baked products.

“For more than 15 years, Cargill has been developing high oleic canola oils with increased heat and oxidative stability,” said Willie Loh, vice president of marketing, Cargill Oils & Shortenings. “Unlike typical canola oil, which can develop ‘grassy’ and ‘painty’ off-notes when oxidized, high oleic oils have natural resistance to oxidation without going through hydrogenation, fractionation or other complex processing. With the highest level of oleic acid of all canola oils, and the highest level of oxidative stability among all high oleic oils on the market, Clear Valley 80 canola oil is by far one of the most stable vegetable oils currently available, eliminating common flavor and shelf-life challenges often associated with formulating with healthier fats.”

Clear Valley 80 High Oleic Canola Oil’s exceptional resistance to oxidation also can offer food manufacturers cost savings by providing an extended shelf life over other canola oils, and it also may allow customers to switch to more environmentally-friendly packaging, and save on packaging film.

Clear Valley 80 High Oleic Canola Oil provides:
• Exceptionally high oxidative stability
• Low levels of saturated fat and zero grams trans fat (per 14 gram serving)
• Bland flavor
• Superior oil functionality for processed foods