Rise in adulterated coconut oil raises health concerns

by Carol Aloysius

Nearly half of the coconut oil sold for cooking purposes in bulk form is adulterated, Director Information, Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Chandrika Thilakeratne said.

"Adulterated coconut oil, sold in loose bulk form is flooding the market. In recent raids we have found that around 40 percent of the coconut oil sold in bulk contained a mix of industrial or low quality palm oil and other substandard vegetable oils.

This oil is snapped by vendors and owners of small eateries, restaurants and certain small budget hotels because it cost less than the packeted pure coconut oil which carry proper labels and are branded," she said.

All cooking oil sold in bulk form should be packeted and sealed by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute, SLSI with the date of manufacture and expiry, and addresses and names of the owners and trading companies, she said.

Ingestion of low quality industrial palm oil sold as cooking oil can lead to major health complications, Director, National Poisons Information Center, Dr Waruna Gunathilake warned.

"It is this oil that is often used to make kottu roti, parata, papadam, and pastries by small hotels. Those consuming these foods can rapidly develop a high fat composition of the blood ( lipid profile) and high triglyceride levels which can cause ischaemic heart diseases ( heart attacks).

" We have cautioned the Health Ministry about this," he said.

Recycling the same oil for frying other food leads to the formation of new chemicals, which are harmful to health, he told the Sunday Observer.