Composition of palm oil
Comparison of the proportions of saturated and unsaturated fats in palm oils and other vegetable oils
(g/100g oil)
Sources: McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods Integrated Data Set 2021. The Stationery Office. Data for palm kernel oil taken from the Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) database. Both accessed 30 Oct 2021.
What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?
Fatty acids consist of chains of carbon atoms linked together rather like a paper chain. Where all of the linkages consist of single bonds they are called saturated but if they contain a double bond linkage they are referred to as unsaturated. Unsaturated fatty acids are further divided into those that contain one (monounsaturated) or two or more (polyunsaturated) double bond linkages. Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids can be made in the body and are also widely present in both vegetable and animal fats. Certain polyunsaturated fatty acids cannot be made in the body and small amounts need to be supplied in the diet and are called essential fatty acids. The most important essential fatty acids are linoleic acid and linolenic acid, the parent fatty acids of the omega-6 and omega-3 families respectively. Both these essential fatty acids are present in palm oil.
Comparison of the vitamin E content of palm oils and other major vegetable oils
(tocopherol equivalents/100g)
Sources: McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods Integrated Data Set 2021. The Stationery Office. Data for palm kernel oil taken from the Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) database. Both accessed 30 Oct 2021.
Palm oil compared to other vegetable oils
| Palm oil | Palm kernel oil | Coconut oil | Soybean oil | Rapeseed oil | Sunflower oil | Olive oil | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slip melting point °C | 37 | 29 | 25 | <4 | <4 | <4 | <4 |
| Colour | Pale yellow | White | White | Pale yellow | Pale yellow | Pale yellow | Pale yellow |
| Odour | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| Energy value kcal/100g | 899 | 863 | 862 | 899 | 899 | 899 | 899 |
| Saturated fatty acids g/100g | 48.0 | 81.5 | 86.5 | 15.6 | 6.6 | 12.0 | 14.3 |
| Unsaturated fatty acids g/100g | 46.0 | 13.0 | 7.5 | 80.1 | 88.6 | 83.8 | 81.1 |
| FFA wt% | <0.1 | <0.1 | <0.1 | <0.1 | <0.1 | <0.1 | <0.1 |
| Omega-3 g/100g | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.3 | 9.6 | 0.1 | 0.7 |
| Omega-6 g/100g | 10.1 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 51.5 | 19.7 | 63.2 | 7.5 |
| Trans fats g/100g | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace |
| Cholesterol mg/100g | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace |
| Total carotenoids mg/kg | Trace | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vitamin E TE/100g | 33.1 | 3.8 | 0.66 | 17.2 | 22.2 | 49.2 | 5.1 |
| Vitamin K μg/100g | 8.0 | 24.7 | 1.0 | 131.0 | 113.0 | 6.3 | 58.0 |
Mean values
Composition based on Codex Standards for Fats and Oils from Vegetable Sources (CODEX-STAN 210 – 1999)
Source: McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Foods Integrated Data Set 2019. The Stationery Office. Accessed 16 Dec 2019.
Finglas PM, Roe MA, Pinchen HM, Berry R, Church SM, Dodhia KK, Farron Wilson M, Swan G. (2015). McCance and Widdowson’s The Composition of Fooods Seventh Summary edition. Cambridge, Royal Socieyt of Chemistry.
Data for palm kernel oil taken from Canadian Food Composition Data Base
Abbreviations: FFA = free fatty acids, TE = tocopherol equivalents
Comparison of different palm oil fractions
| Crude palm oil | Refined palm oil | Palm olein | Palm stearin | Palm kernel oil | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slip melting point °C | 36.7 (33.9 to 39.2) |
36.7 (33.9 to 39.2) |
19.2 to 23.5 | 46.6 to 53.8 | 28 to 30 |
| Viscosity mPA at 35°C | 45 | 45 | 43 | – | 43 |
| Density g/ml | 0.89 to 0.89 | 0.89 to 0.89 | 0.90 to 0.92 | 0.88 to 0.89 | 0.89 to 0.91 |
| Viscosity mPA at 35°C | 45 | 45 | 43 | – | 43 |
| Colour | Red | Pale yellow | Pale yellow | White | White |
| Odour | Over-ripe mushroom |
Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| Energy value kcal/100g | 899 | 899 | 899 | 899 | 863 |
| Saturated fatty acids g/100g | 48 | 48 | 43 | 62 | 81.5 |
| Unsaturated fatty acids g/100g | 46 | 46 | 55 | 24 | 13 |
| Acid value mg KOH/g oil | 190 to 209 | 194 to 202 | 194 to 202 | 193 to 205 | 230 to 254 |
| FFA wt% | 2.5 to 5 | <0.1 | <0.1 | <0.1 | <0.1 |
| Omega-3 wt% | ND to 0.5 | 0.1 to 0.6 | ND to 0.6 | ND to 0.3 | ND to 0.2 |
| Omega-6 wt% | 9.0 to 12.0 | 9.0 to 12.0 | 10.0 to 13.5 | 3.0 to 10.0 | 1.0 to 3.5 |
| Trans fats g/100g | 0 | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace |
| Cholesterol mg/100g | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace | Trace |
| Total carotenoids mg/kg | 581 | Trace | Trace | Trace | 0 |
| Tocopherols and tocotrienols mg/kg | 843 (708 to 1,141) |
581 (378 to 890) |
716 (559 to 902) |
365 (348 to 381) |
ND to 260 |
|
158 | 128 | 158 | 80 | ND to 44 |
|
169 | 116 | 143 | 73 | ND |
|
388 | 267 | 329 | 168 | ND to 60 |
|
101 | 70 | 86 | 44 | ND |
Mean values with ranges
Composition based on Codex Standards for Fats and Oils from Vegetable Sources (CODEX-STAN 210 – 1999)
Tocopherol and tocotriencol content based on ABDUL GAPOR Mohd Top. Content of vitamin E in palm oil and its antioxidant activity. Palm Oil Development (1990) No 12, 25-27
Abbreviations: FFA = free fatty acids, ND = not detected
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