Lay's chips may soon use new oil blend. (Representational)
PepsiCo, the brand that owns the famous potato chips Lay's - has initiated trials to substitute palm oil with a blend of Sunflower Oil and Palmolein Oil in some of its products. The development surfaced after a post by social media influencer Revant Himatsingka about the food giant's decision to reduce the use of palm oil in its chips.
"Big win! Lay's India to reduce palm oil usage...After Lay's stops palm oil, it will also put pressure on all other brands like Bingo, Haldiram to potentially replace palm oil!" he wrote on X.
PepsiCo, however, told NDTV that the trials started last year. "PepsiCo India initiated trials of a blend of Sunflower Oil and Palmolein Oil in certain parts of our portfolio last year, becoming one of the few players in the food industry in India to do so," PepsiCo India Spokesperson said in a statement.
"PepsiCo is dedicated to producing high-quality, great-tasting products in every market where we operate. There are often different recipes for foods or drinks in different countries, which is attributed to several factors such as local preferences, manufacturing capabilities, ingredient availability and market dynamics. Ingredients are listed on every product we sell in India, allowing consumers to make conscious decisions about their purchases," it added.
Mr Himatsingka also pointed to another video by him that highlighted that PepsiCo uses palm oil in the Indian product but not in the Lay's USA.
PepsiCo Uses "Heart Healthy" Oil In US Products
On its US website, the company says that their chips are cooked in oils that may be considered "heart healthy" because they have at least "80% unsaturated fat, less than 20% saturated fat, and 0 grams of trans fat". Sunflower, corn and canola oils contain "good mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower LDL bad" cholesterol and maintain HDL good" cholesterol level as part of a calorie-controlled diet", it said.
Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the reddish pulp of the fruit of oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Its use has attracted the concern of environmental and human right groups as the palm oil industry is a significant contributor to deforestation in the tropics where palms are grown, and has been cited as a factor in social problems due to allegations of human rights violations among growers.
Asian buyers traditionally rely on palm oil because of low costs but recently concerns have been raised over its use due to high saturated fat content in it. About 50% of palm oil is made up of saturated fat and a high intake of this type of fat can increase blood LDL or 'bad' cholesterol levels.
Difference Between Palm Oil And Palmolein
Although palm oil and palmolein are produced from the same plant, the main difference between them is their chemical state at room temperature. Semi-solid palm oil is used more frequently as fat in bakery products, whereas liquid palmolein is considered the "gold standard" and is the most widely used oil for frying in the world.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is often termed as a healthy oil because it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids which are essential fats beneficial for heart health. It is also one of the best dietary sources of vitamin E. However, according to several studies, varying the oil consumption with other varieties like olive, avocado and rapeseed may provide a better balance to diet.
Top Medical Body's Dietary Guidelines
The development comes close on the heels of a set of 17 dietary guidelines by the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN). It calls for the moderating intake of oil and fats and choosing a variety of oil seeds, nuts, nutri cereals and legumes to meet daily needs of fats and essential fatty acids (EFA).