For what purpose is palm oil used?

Environmentalism: Given the numerous names that palm oil is given on labels, including "vegetable oil," is there any way to definitively tell if there is a palm oil used in soap and foods?

• I'm concerned about the destruction of the rainforest by the palm oil industry and I wish to buy a palm-free soap.

• Answer:

  It depends on where you live. In America, we luckily have label laws that require companies to be more specific regarding the vegetable oils they use. If they use palm oil, there are a number of names that they can use, but "vegetable oil" is not one of them. Here is a list of ingredient names that palm oil and palm oil derivatives can be called: Cetyl Palmitate Elaeis Guineensis Epoxidized Palm Oil (UV cured coatings) Ethylhexyl Palmitate Hydrated Palm Glycerides Octyl Palmitate Palm Oil Palm Fruit Oil Palm Kernel Palm Kernel Oil Palm Stearine Palmate Palmitate Palmitic Acid Palmityl Alcohol Palmitoyl Oxostearamide Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3 Palmolein Saponified Elaeis Guineensis Sodium Kernelate Sodium Palm Kernelate Sodium Palmate Notice that with two exceptions, all of these names contain the words palm or kernel. There are a number of large food companies that have a stated commitment to use only sustainable palm oil which is great, but until they start voluntarily stating such on their labels, I have chosen to continue to boycott their products.