Oil palm

The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is an immensely important oil plant in the world economy. Originally found in West Africa, Elaeis guineensis is now cultivated in the tropics all over the world.

Elaeis guineensis is a tree that reaches a height up to 30 m. The oil palm tree produces 25 to 35 pinnate leaves per year, which can be up to 7.5 m long. After 2 years they die off, they break off. The leaf base remains on the trunk.

Every plant produces inflorescences at regular intervals. From these, up to 6000, approximately plum-sized drupes develop. The fruits contain a hard stone core, which contains the seed, and a fleshy-creamy flesh. Both the flesh and stone core store a lot of fat. However, they are processed separately.

Elaeis guineensis oil, palm oil or palm fat is extracted from the orange-coloured, fatty flesh by pressing. This is solid at room temperature. It contains mainly oleic acid and palmitic acid. Elaeis guineensis oil is mainly used in the production of margarine.

The white palm kernel oil, Elaeis guineensis kernel oil, is extracted from the kernels of the fruits. This is solid at room temperature. Elaeis guineensis kernel oil contains mainly lauric acid and myristic acid and is mainly used in the production of margarine. With a higher proportion of free fatty acids it is also used for soap (curd soap) and cosmetics production.

Uses: Palm oils are widely used in the food sector (margarine, ice cream, chocolate), cosmetics (soap, detergents) and technical sectors (biodiesel).

Oil palms are mainly cultivated in regions where tropical rainforest grows naturally. The unchecked and often uncontrolled expansion of palm oil plantations therefore threatens the ecological balance, the biodiversity of tropical regions.