Effect of Crude Palm Oil on the Levels of Human Serum Lipids, Vitamins A and E

Edible vegetable oils are important constituents of Indian diets. Despite the increased production of vegetable oils in the country, the gap between demand and supply has been widening due to increase in population and rise in income levels resulting in large imports mainly of palm oil. As a long term arrangement, to become self sufficient, efforts are undertaken to cultivate oil palm, the most efficient producer of edible oil/ha. About 5000 tonnes of carotenoids and vitamin E rich raw palm oil of indigenous origin find its end use only as an Industrial oil. India is one of the developing countries in which both dietary energy and vitamin A deficiencies are prevalent. This situation has led to the consideration of the possibilities of using crude palm oil as an edible oil.