With reference to ‘palm oil,’ consider the following statements:
1. The palm oil tree is native to Southeast Asia.
2. Palm oil is a raw material for some industries producing lipstick and perfumes.
3. Palm oil can be used to produce biodiesel.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Answer:
(b)
Non-traditional
Non-traditional
Palm oil is edible vegetable oil that comes from the fruit of oil palm trees. Oil palm trees are native to Africa but were brought to South-East Asia over 100 years ago as an ornamental tree crop. The tree grows best in tropical climates with abundant water. Hence, statement 1 is not correct. Palm oil is used in cosmetics products like lipstick and perfumes. It is one of the most cost-effective cosmetics ingredients. Due to its high fatty acid content, it can be used to make surfactants, emulsifiers and emollients. Hence, statement 2 is correct. Palm oil can be used to produce biodiesel, which can be used in compression ignition engines, i.e., diesel engines without any modifications. Hence, statement 3 is correct. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.