Is palm oil really mandatory in infant formula?

Since the government reshuffle, Emmanuelle Wargon has been Secretary of State in charge of Ecology. She previously worked for Danone and, during the Rencontres économique d'Aix-en-Provence which took place last July, when she was still the group's public affairs director, she said: "The oil of palm, we need it for infant milk, it is one of the essential products for infant milk". Since they reappeared, these remarks have caused a lot of talk, and for good reason: the production of this oil is an ecological disaster, so it is questionable whether someone saying this sort of thing can really defend this cause. To find out if she was right, the Huffington Post interviewed two experts.

Palm oil, essential in infant formula?

For pediatrician and nutritionist Patrick Tounian, Emmanuelle Wargon is "completely right". "Palm oil, present in almost all infant formula, makes it possible to approach the composition of breast milk as closely as possible", explains the head of the pediatric nutrition unit at the Armand Trousseau hospital in Paris. His opinion is shared by nutritionist Anthony Berthou: "A baby needs a lot of fat, for the construction of its neurons like cellular tissue". However, breast milk contains palmitic acid, which is found in palm oil, and infants cannot do without this fatty acid.

If palm oil has been in the hot seat for several years, it is because its production poses major ecological problems, but also because it can be dangerous to health. However, it is especially so for adults, explains Professor Patrick Tounian: "In some adults, saturated fatty acids can be dangerous, in particular because they can lead to an increase in cholesterol levels". Here again, Anthony Berthou confirms: "When they are associated with other types of nutrients, sugar in particular, fatty acids are not without danger". For the two specialists, it is therefore not necessary to banish this product, but, as with everything, it must be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Can we replace palm oil in infant formula?

Anthony Berthou recognizes the virtues of palm oil in infant formula and does not contraindicate it for this reason, but he "advises against it for ecological and environmental reasons". As the Huffington Post reminds us, palm oil production is a real disaster for the planet, since it has, among other things, led to the deforestation of more than 130,000 hectares of forest in Indonesia. However, the destruction of forests is responsible for 12 to 15% of greenhouse gas emissions of human origin. Moreover, in these areas, biodiversity would decrease by 85%. There is therefore reason to wonder whether this product could not be replaced by something else in the composition of infant milks so that they are more environmentally friendly.

According to the two specialists, it is possible. "We can, for example, keep the fats of cow's milk, but in all cases it would be necessary to add other forms of vegetable fats essential for the child", explains Patrick Tounian. But palm oil remains an easy, economical and practical solution for manufacturers, says Anthony Berthou: "The profile of this oil is interesting, it is very stable, inexpensive, easy to work with, so it is very popular with manufacturers. ".