Food experts at Musselburgh-based Queen Margaret University (QMU) have developed a new ingredient which has the potential to replace palm oil in bakery products.

The new palm substitute, known as PALM-ALT and said to be “healthier and more environmentally friendly”, has been developed by Dr Julien Lonchamp, reader in food science, and Catriona Liddle, head of the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation (SCFDI).

The university’s research confirms that the new replacement product, which has a mayonnaise style consistency, is “palm and coconut free, 100 per cent plant-based, healthier due to having less total and saturated fat, and more sustainable.” It is described as an allergen-free product with no added flavourings, sugar, sweeteners, preservatives or colourings.

Ms Liddle explained: “The industry has found it difficult to identify another fat which delivers the cost benefits and physical characteristics (bland taste, food shelf-life and ambient storage) that palm offers, and which is not linked with health concerns. Currently there is no palm oil replacement that is sustainable, healthy and cost-effective.”

She added: “Palm can only be harvested in rainforest areas of the globe, thousands of miles away from many of the countries that use the product. Current production methods leading to deforestation of tropical rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia have led to the destruction of animals’ natural habitat and high greenhouse gas emissions linked to its global transport.”

Dr Lonchamp said: “We set out to develop a new ingredient that would not only be better for the environment but also healthier than palm fat and current alternatives.

“Our team has patented the PALM-ALT composition and process and we are currently in discussions with a number of partners to implement the novel palm replacer at the industry level.”