THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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In an event featuring speakers from various fields, including the textile, food and oil sectors, the importance of accurate information in food production and sustainability was highlighted. Common misconceptions about palm oil and vegetable oils were evaluated in light of scientific data.
Supporting discussions on food production and ingredients with scientific evidence plays a crucial role in the development of the sector. To emphasize the importance of scientific knowledge, students and industry professionals came together at Ege University to address the issues from a broad perspective, ranging from production processes to innovation.
“Palm oil is a functional and sustainable resource for food systems”
Speaking at the event, Food Engineer Dr. Fahri Yemişçioğlu, drawing attention to the multifaceted functions of oils in food production, stated that food production is a multidimensional process that brings together different disciplines and professional groups with its ‘from field to table’ approach.
“Today, with the changing consumer expectations, the food sector has become one of the areas most open to technology and innovation. Considering the usage and functionality of vegetable oils in food, the importance of palm oil and its fractions becomes clear. Palm oil and palm kernel oil, obtained from the palm tree and its kernel, a tropical fruit, represent an important and sustainable resource for feeding the growing world population,” he said.
“What matters is not the type of oil, but the quality of production and the level of technology.”
Quality Control Specialist Duygu Polat, speaking at the event, pointed out that palm oil and its derivatives play a critical role in production processes, both in terms of the quantity used and the functional contributions they provide.
Underlining that from a food and quality management perspective, focusing on raw material quality and production technology rather than classifying oils as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ offers a healthier approach, she added, “Indeed, high-quality raw materials and advanced production processes form the basis of safe and high-quality products.”
