Cottonseed Oil Industry Kicks Off 'Comeback Tour'

24/09/07 Rock stars and athletes aren't the only ones making a comeback this year. Cottonseed oil -- once the darling of the edible oils industry -- is hitting the road to promote its ability to help food processors and foodservice operators produce healthier foods free of artificial trans fats.

A new Website launched by the National Cottonseed Products Association (NCPA), CottonseedOilTour.com takes visitors on a virtual cross-country tour of cottonseed oil success stories. Visitors will learn how their food industry peers, from chip manufacturers to ballpark concessionaires, have adopted cottonseed oil to remove trans, improve food quality and even boost performance.

Use of cottonseed oil for salad or cooking oils rose dramatically in 2006, nearly doubling from earlier years to 551 million pounds, notes NCPA Executive Vice President Ben Morgan, who attributes the growth to increased demand for oils that are stable without hydrogenation.

"New York City's decision to ban trans fats in restaurants last July has been a coup for our industry," which he says was left with about a 250 million pound surplus after Frito Lay converted to sunflower oil in 2006.

"We are now filling that void thanks to the efforts of our membership and oil suppliers who are reintroducing foodservice operators and food processors to this versatile vegetable oil, valued for its high stability and neutral flavor."

Morgan says cottonseed oil fits into the various ways of creating a trans-free product, including high-stability cooking or salad oils, shortenings and spreads, he says. "It can help restaurants and food processors successfully produce healthier alternatives."

While demand for cottonseed oil is up, there is still much to be done, Morgan notes. In a recent NCPA-commissioned survey of food industry professionals, a majority had low awareness and a limited understanding of cottonseed oil and its benefits.

"With our new Cottonseed Oil Comeback Tour campaign, we aim to increase awareness about cottonseed oil, America's first vegetable oil, and also serve as a resource for food companies and restaurants seeking non-hydrogenated solutions."

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