PepisCo India is testing a new oil blend for its Lay’s potato chip range in India, India Today reported.
Part of US food and drink giant PepsiCo, the company had been trialling the use of a blend of sunflower oil and palm olein in place of using a mix of palm oil and palm olein, the 9 May report said.
“There are often different recipes for foods or drinks in different countries, which is attributable to several factors such as local preferences, manufacturing capabilities, ingredient availability and market dynamics. Ingredients are listed on every product we sell in India, allowing consumers to make conscious decisions about their purchases,” a PepsiCo India spokesperson was quoted as saying in a statement.
“In this context, PepsiCo India initiated trials of a blend of sunflower oil and palm olein oil in certain parts of our portfolio last year, becoming one of the few players in the food industry in India to do so.”
PepsiCo’s statement came against a backdrop of concerns over the use of palm oil in packaged foods across India, India Today wrote in an earlier report on 9 May. Although palm oil contained vitamin E and antioxidants, it was high in saturated fats, the report said.
The use of palm oil is common among packaged food brands in India, including salty snacks, biscuits, chocolates, noodles, bread and ice cream, due to its lower cost compared to sunflower or soyabean oils, according to the report.
In the USA, PepsiCo used oils like sunflower, corn and canola for its potato chips rather than palm oil, India Today wrote.
