Palm oil health supplement, the most valuable product along the supply chain, is set to be another big foreign revenue earner for Malaysia.
Last year, Malaysia exported some RM50 million worth of palm oil health supplements, mainly to Europe, the US, Canada and Japan.
Scientific studies conducted by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) show that palm oil health supplements can help lower the risk of a stroke or heart attack.
Tocotrienol, the potent vitamin E found abundantly in palm oil, can improve blood flow and boost cell regeneration.
"Although we're the biggest tocotrienol producer and exporter in the world, we need to invest more in scientific studies to give more evidence of the health benefits of palm oil vitamins A and E. So far, the government, via MPOB, has invested RM20 million to research the nutritional and anti-ageing benefits of palm oil phytonutrients.
"At the same time, we need to step up public awareness of the advantage of palm oil health supplements over imported ones like fish oil and evening primrose," Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainudin said.
Palm oil, packed with phytonutrients like carotene, tocotrienol, lycopene, co-enzyme Q10, and Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, can meet the 'beauty from within' trend in the multi-billion-ringgit business of health supplements and skincare products.
To raise public awareness, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) initiated the Palm International Nutra-Cosmeceutical Conference (PINC) 2009.
Hamzah officiated at the opening of the conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Among the exhibitors are Carotech Bhd, Davos Life Science Pte Ltd, Carotino Sdn Bhd and Liasari Sdn Bhd.
In view of the current high crude palm oil prices, Hamzah was asked if the government would consider lowering the biodiesel blend mandate of B5.
"We continue to encourage biodiesel usage. Malaysia is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol and this policy reflects our commitment to using cleaner burning fuel which is environment-friendly," he said.
Hamzah also urged biodiesel producers to integrate their production with palm oil health supplements.
"Returns from the health supplement business can cross-subsidise that of biodiesel in risky times. This is a better business model," he said.
One of the most important phytonutrients in edible oils is Vitamin E. Vitamin E is the generic name for the family of tocopherols and tocotrienols. In nature, eight compounds have been found to possess vitamin E activity.
