Seed Oil Free Certification
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We reached out to the folks behind Seed Oil Free Certification to find more information on why a seed oil free certification standard was necessary.
These are the questions we posed to Seed Oil Free Certification in a Request for Information.
Read the email response from Corey Nelson, Chief Information Officer for Seed Oil Free Certification.
As you have noted, palm oil is a viable non-seed-oil alternative to commodity oils like soy and canola oil on a cost basis. We completely agree. We are seeing that while some premium-priced restaurants and CPG companies are willing to switch to more expensive oils and are finding their customers are receptive, this won't occur at every price point, so there is certainly a role for palm oil as an economical and scalable alternative to seed oils.
Along with the saturated fat objection you have noted, there's also a lingering negative association due to past environmental concerns, which we have noted even in some seed oil free discussion spaces where a significant portion of online users express low levels of concern over saturated fat in general. It's not only that people are concerned about the environmental impact of palm oil, but that the general negativity around palm oil due to that issue has persuaded some consumers who avoid seed oils that palm oil is also an oil to avoid. Unfortunately, there's a lot of incorrect information about palm oil out there in general.
On the other hand, thanks to the recent popularity of the term "seed oils," which seems to make the issues around omega-6 and polyunsaturated more tangible to the average consumer, and the resulting growing pushback against the use of oils like soybean, corn, and canola, we think many consumers are ready to rethink some of these issues around fats in general, palm oil included.
Regarding health impact, I am excerpting from a previous response I sent to someone else below, and this is also a good example of how we would discuss the issue with consumers where there's space for this type of nuance (e.g. educational articles on our website):
There are several different forms of "palm oil," that, respectively, contain higher levels of saturated palmitic acid; saturated lauric acid (in palm kernel fat) as found in coconut oil; saturated stearic acid (in palm stearin) which does not appear to be associated with elevated LDL cholesterol levels; and hybrid palm oil and palm olein, which are high in monounsaturated oleic acid also found in olive oil and avocado oil.
One problem with this research [into the effects of saturated fat consumption] is that it mostly relies on epidemiological studies, which are valid for establishing correlation but poor at establishing causation. Epidemiological nutritional research also relies heavily on self-reporting and struggles to address confounding factors, such as the tendency of individuals who listen to health advice in general to also consume less saturated fat (per dietary recommendations).
As you can see in the conclusion section of the abstract for a 2018 systematic review, the overall evidence is weak in either direction for palm oil in general: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29489910/
A 2019 meta-analysis on palm olein intake in healthy adults found that compared to a variety of other plant-based oils, the effects on cholesterol and related markers were comparable to other oils high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31095284/
A 2016 randomized controlled trial found that high-oleic hybrid palm oil had similar (beneficial) effects on LDL-C, a cardiovascular risk marker: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26488229/
A 2024 RCT found red palm olein, extra virgin coconut, and extra virgin olive oil had similar (beneficial) effects on several relevant cholesterol markers in individuals with central obesity (belly fat associated with heart disease risk) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38372798/
Lastly, animal studies do have limitations, but are great for removing confounding factors that often exist in human nutritional studies. A 2020 review of animal studies on palm oil concluded that based on available animal evidence, "palm oil and palm olein possess high potential as lipid-lowering agents": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7381326/
The Seed Oil Free Alliance does not take a strong position for or against saturated fats, but rather in favor of transparency and consumer choice. It's worth mentioning that our advisor Dr. Weil does recommend limiting saturated fat intake. We also point out that reducing or avoiding harmful seed oils high in polyunsaturated omega-6 fats doesn't require a 1:1 replacement with saturated fats.
Further, most dietary recommendations advise limiting saturated fat intake to 8-10% of total calories. Palm oil in general, or specific types of palm oil, could still fit within this type of recommended intake pattern.
A big issue with the push to replace all saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats (i.e. seed oils) is that the advice doesn't take into account the production of harmful fatty acid byproducts that occurs during heating, particularly when heated repeatedly, as in during frying at a restaurant.
A paper by Le Gresley et al (2021), based on a study measuring the levels of harmful oxidation byproducts in fried foods in "real-world" conditions (restaurants) has an excellent summation of this issue:
Presently, a sizeable proportion of the human population opt to consume a variable range of fried foods on a weekly basis. Most importantly, highly heat-susceptible oxidation-prone unsaturated fatty acid-containing culinary oils are used as frying media at higher temperatures to generate fried foods. The general public has been oriented by the fact that unsaturated-rich cooking oils exert a favorable health impact on humans by elevating the blood levels of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and correspondingly suppressing those of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) (33, 34). This is in major contrast to the adverse health effects associated with saturated fatty acid-rich culinary fats and oils, since they have been implicated in provoking or worsening cardiovascular and other chronic human diseases (35). Contrary to this narrative, saturated fatty acid-rich culinary fats and oils have a greater resistivity to the evolution of toxic LOPs than unsaturated fatty acid-laden culinary oils.
Unfortunately, this is an emerging research area, and one where there aren't hard interventional or even observational numbers around the exact negative impact of harmful byproducts created by heating seed oils during cooking. Our position is that consumers have a right to review available evidence and make the decision for themselves. We, and many health-conscious consumers, believe it's wise to move away from seed oils, particularly in heated applications.
I want to make note that we also allow palm kernel fat in Seed Oil Free Certified products; while it's made from the seed of the palm oil tree, it's a solid fat in temperate climates (usually, depending on temperature) due to the fatty acid profile, which means it's not an "oil" and therefore not a "seed oil." This is not a mere technicality but a very important distinction. Quoting from our Standards Summary:
While cocoa butter and palm kernel fat are made from the seed portion of plants (the Theobroma cacao tree or oil palm species from the Elaeis genus, respectively), they are solid at room temperature and are not considered seed oils for certification purposes.
Culinary oils are generally understood to be fats that
are liquid at room temperature due to a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. In contrast, fats that are solid at room temperature (approximately 70°F) due to low content of unsaturated fatty acids (and low content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in particular) are not oils. The distinction is critically important due to the facts that, unlike seed oils, cocoa butter and palm kernel fat are extremely low in omega-6 linoleic acid and, unlike harmful seed oils, are not highly prone to oxidation
Something else to consider is that interesterified fats, often made from a combination of unhydrogenated and hydrogenated seed oils but sometimes containing palm fatty acids, are now prevalent in fast food. This switch occurred fairly recently as part of the fallout over trans fats. Preliminary evidence suggests that compared to non-interesterified fats, interesterified fats may have unfavorable health properties. Here's a paper with a deeper examination of available evidence.
As noted in this paper, which raises some serious concerns, interesterified fats are not transparently labeled (it's worth noting that we prohibit them from certification) and are actually not interchangeable with their non-interesterified counterparts:
Ambiguous labeling requirements enable these fats to appear in foods under umbrella terms such as ‘vegetable oils,’ ‘fully hydrogenated oils,’ ‘palm oil,’ ‘palm kernel oil,’ ‘high stearate,’ or ‘stearic rich’ fats. Ultimately, the very citizens which rely on and trust regulatory bodies to protect public health are ultimately the ones who may suffer potential health risks from this lack of transparency.
End Corey Nelson’s response.
Palm oil should gain market share in the US as a non-seed-oil alternative that is the most capable drop-in substitute for soybean oil. Data from Statista shows a steady but not earth shaking increase in palm oil imports from 2016 to 2022 after the FDA banned trans fats. Potential for market growth if the seed oil free movement gains momentum can be seen in 2023 statistics for US consumption of edible oils where rapeseed and soy oil combined was eight times higher than palm oil.
The main challenge for the palm oil industry today is not its saturated fat content. The main challenge remains the same as it was in 2015 when trans fats were banned. American consumers have been demanding that the palm oil in their favorite products is free from the destruction of tropical forests and carbon-rich peatlands. Union of Concerned Scientists.
Published August 2024 CSPO Watch
These are the questions we posed to Seed Oil Free Certification in a Request for Information.
- But noting that the certification is up against industry giants in the soy and canola industries and their cheap prices, is there a particular market that you hope to capture in the near future?
- In my opinion, avocado, olive oils and cocoa butters are too expensive for most fast food companies. Did your research show otherwise? What companies do you target that can afford these expensive edible oils?
- Coconut, palm or animal fats in tallow, lard, butter etc might be better prepared to turn on supplies to meet demands and price but how do you see convincing potential customers when there is so much outdated information on saturated fats in these oils?
Read the email response from Corey Nelson, Chief Information Officer for Seed Oil Free Certification.
As you have noted, palm oil is a viable non-seed-oil alternative to commodity oils like soy and canola oil on a cost basis. We completely agree. We are seeing that while some premium-priced restaurants and CPG companies are willing to switch to more expensive oils and are finding their customers are receptive, this won't occur at every price point, so there is certainly a role for palm oil as an economical and scalable alternative to seed oils.
Along with the saturated fat objection you have noted, there's also a lingering negative association due to past environmental concerns, which we have noted even in some seed oil free discussion spaces where a significant portion of online users express low levels of concern over saturated fat in general. It's not only that people are concerned about the environmental impact of palm oil, but that the general negativity around palm oil due to that issue has persuaded some consumers who avoid seed oils that palm oil is also an oil to avoid. Unfortunately, there's a lot of incorrect information about palm oil out there in general.
On the other hand, thanks to the recent popularity of the term "seed oils," which seems to make the issues around omega-6 and polyunsaturated more tangible to the average consumer, and the resulting growing pushback against the use of oils like soybean, corn, and canola, we think many consumers are ready to rethink some of these issues around fats in general, palm oil included.
Regarding health impact, I am excerpting from a previous response I sent to someone else below, and this is also a good example of how we would discuss the issue with consumers where there's space for this type of nuance (e.g. educational articles on our website):
There are several different forms of "palm oil," that, respectively, contain higher levels of saturated palmitic acid; saturated lauric acid (in palm kernel fat) as found in coconut oil; saturated stearic acid (in palm stearin) which does not appear to be associated with elevated LDL cholesterol levels; and hybrid palm oil and palm olein, which are high in monounsaturated oleic acid also found in olive oil and avocado oil.
One problem with this research [into the effects of saturated fat consumption] is that it mostly relies on epidemiological studies, which are valid for establishing correlation but poor at establishing causation. Epidemiological nutritional research also relies heavily on self-reporting and struggles to address confounding factors, such as the tendency of individuals who listen to health advice in general to also consume less saturated fat (per dietary recommendations).
As you can see in the conclusion section of the abstract for a 2018 systematic review, the overall evidence is weak in either direction for palm oil in general: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29489910/
A 2019 meta-analysis on palm olein intake in healthy adults found that compared to a variety of other plant-based oils, the effects on cholesterol and related markers were comparable to other oils high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31095284/
A 2016 randomized controlled trial found that high-oleic hybrid palm oil had similar (beneficial) effects on LDL-C, a cardiovascular risk marker: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26488229/
A 2024 RCT found red palm olein, extra virgin coconut, and extra virgin olive oil had similar (beneficial) effects on several relevant cholesterol markers in individuals with central obesity (belly fat associated with heart disease risk) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38372798/
Lastly, animal studies do have limitations, but are great for removing confounding factors that often exist in human nutritional studies. A 2020 review of animal studies on palm oil concluded that based on available animal evidence, "palm oil and palm olein possess high potential as lipid-lowering agents": https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7381326/
The Seed Oil Free Alliance does not take a strong position for or against saturated fats, but rather in favor of transparency and consumer choice. It's worth mentioning that our advisor Dr. Weil does recommend limiting saturated fat intake. We also point out that reducing or avoiding harmful seed oils high in polyunsaturated omega-6 fats doesn't require a 1:1 replacement with saturated fats.
Further, most dietary recommendations advise limiting saturated fat intake to 8-10% of total calories. Palm oil in general, or specific types of palm oil, could still fit within this type of recommended intake pattern.
A big issue with the push to replace all saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats (i.e. seed oils) is that the advice doesn't take into account the production of harmful fatty acid byproducts that occurs during heating, particularly when heated repeatedly, as in during frying at a restaurant.
A paper by Le Gresley et al (2021), based on a study measuring the levels of harmful oxidation byproducts in fried foods in "real-world" conditions (restaurants) has an excellent summation of this issue:
Presently, a sizeable proportion of the human population opt to consume a variable range of fried foods on a weekly basis. Most importantly, highly heat-susceptible oxidation-prone unsaturated fatty acid-containing culinary oils are used as frying media at higher temperatures to generate fried foods. The general public has been oriented by the fact that unsaturated-rich cooking oils exert a favorable health impact on humans by elevating the blood levels of high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and correspondingly suppressing those of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) (33, 34). This is in major contrast to the adverse health effects associated with saturated fatty acid-rich culinary fats and oils, since they have been implicated in provoking or worsening cardiovascular and other chronic human diseases (35). Contrary to this narrative, saturated fatty acid-rich culinary fats and oils have a greater resistivity to the evolution of toxic LOPs than unsaturated fatty acid-laden culinary oils.
Unfortunately, this is an emerging research area, and one where there aren't hard interventional or even observational numbers around the exact negative impact of harmful byproducts created by heating seed oils during cooking. Our position is that consumers have a right to review available evidence and make the decision for themselves. We, and many health-conscious consumers, believe it's wise to move away from seed oils, particularly in heated applications.
I want to make note that we also allow palm kernel fat in Seed Oil Free Certified products; while it's made from the seed of the palm oil tree, it's a solid fat in temperate climates (usually, depending on temperature) due to the fatty acid profile, which means it's not an "oil" and therefore not a "seed oil." This is not a mere technicality but a very important distinction. Quoting from our Standards Summary:
While cocoa butter and palm kernel fat are made from the seed portion of plants (the Theobroma cacao tree or oil palm species from the Elaeis genus, respectively), they are solid at room temperature and are not considered seed oils for certification purposes.
Culinary oils are generally understood to be fats that
are liquid at room temperature due to a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. In contrast, fats that are solid at room temperature (approximately 70°F) due to low content of unsaturated fatty acids (and low content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in particular) are not oils. The distinction is critically important due to the facts that, unlike seed oils, cocoa butter and palm kernel fat are extremely low in omega-6 linoleic acid and, unlike harmful seed oils, are not highly prone to oxidation
Something else to consider is that interesterified fats, often made from a combination of unhydrogenated and hydrogenated seed oils but sometimes containing palm fatty acids, are now prevalent in fast food. This switch occurred fairly recently as part of the fallout over trans fats. Preliminary evidence suggests that compared to non-interesterified fats, interesterified fats may have unfavorable health properties. Here's a paper with a deeper examination of available evidence.
As noted in this paper, which raises some serious concerns, interesterified fats are not transparently labeled (it's worth noting that we prohibit them from certification) and are actually not interchangeable with their non-interesterified counterparts:
Ambiguous labeling requirements enable these fats to appear in foods under umbrella terms such as ‘vegetable oils,’ ‘fully hydrogenated oils,’ ‘palm oil,’ ‘palm kernel oil,’ ‘high stearate,’ or ‘stearic rich’ fats. Ultimately, the very citizens which rely on and trust regulatory bodies to protect public health are ultimately the ones who may suffer potential health risks from this lack of transparency.
End Corey Nelson’s response.
Palm oil should gain market share in the US as a non-seed-oil alternative that is the most capable drop-in substitute for soybean oil. Data from Statista shows a steady but not earth shaking increase in palm oil imports from 2016 to 2022 after the FDA banned trans fats. Potential for market growth if the seed oil free movement gains momentum can be seen in 2023 statistics for US consumption of edible oils where rapeseed and soy oil combined was eight times higher than palm oil.
The main challenge for the palm oil industry today is not its saturated fat content. The main challenge remains the same as it was in 2015 when trans fats were banned. American consumers have been demanding that the palm oil in their favorite products is free from the destruction of tropical forests and carbon-rich peatlands. Union of Concerned Scientists.
Published August 2024 CSPO Watch
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