PALM OIL BUTTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1248, 21 May 1914, Page 4

PALM OIL BUTTER.

The possibilities of vegetable butter are being seriously considered by English manufacturers, one of whom states that on the present estimate of the world’s supply there will in due time be put upon the market between 250,000 and 400,000 tons of a substitute for cocoanut oil. The latter has so far been used exclusively for edible purposes and soap-making, while the ordinary palm-oil of commerce has been used almost entirely for soap and candle making. But modern science and ingenuity have been brought to bear upon palm oil with the result that it is now coming into the field as one of the most valuable and nutritious foodstuffs in the nature of a pure butter substitute, which will undoubtedly, to the great joy of the average housewife, lower the present prices tor the best quality of butter. Balm oil possesses almost identically the same qualities, as butter, having a high melting point, and yet being solt and plastic in character, whereas cocoanut oil, which is at present very commonly used in the manufacture of margarine, has the disadvantage of possessing a very low melting point and requiring to be treated specially in order to be suitable for use at the table. This revolution in the use of palm oil has been brought about practically by the invention of an ingenious machine which makes it possible to convert the fresh fruit from the tree into pure edible palm oil within the space of two hours. By being able to stone the

fruit automatically and quickly and extract the pure fresh oil by pressure, it can be utilised for conversion into a perfect butter substitute. There is little doubt, therefore, that it will prove to be a most valuable addition to the foodstuffs of the world, the increasing scarcity of which has aroused such gloomy forebodings amougst certain scientists. Needless to say, this new source of butter-making material will leave available for soap and caudle making purposes the various fats and oils which are at present utilised by margarine manufacturers. This will appreciably reduce the cost of the raw material to the soapmaker.