Planta Margarine
Encyclopedia
Planta, produced by Unilever
was the first margarine
to be imported into Malaysia in 1930. It is now a widely used ingredient in a variety of local and Malaysian style cuisines such as Chicken Rice
, Roti Canai
(or roti planta), roadside burgers, local coffee and a large selection of cakes, pastries and desserts. Planta is a fortified margarine consisting mainly of hydrogenated
palm oil
as the main ingredient, which is high in saturated fat
.
In August 1960, two people died eating Planta-brand margarine. The culprit was a new chemical ingredient which aided the margarine's texture. The ingredient led to serious illnesses and skin irritations. Across Europe, margarine brands saw reduced sales - which the UK's Butter Information Council rather insensitively referred to as a 'Godsend' after years of being outdone by expensive margarine advertising.
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
was the first margarine
Margarine
Margarine , as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes, typically composed of vegetable oils. In many parts of the world, the market share of margarine and spreads has overtaken that of butter...
to be imported into Malaysia in 1930. It is now a widely used ingredient in a variety of local and Malaysian style cuisines such as Chicken Rice
Hainanese chicken rice
Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of Chinese origin most commonly associated with Hainanese and Singaporean cuisine, although it is also commonly sold in neighbouring Thailand and Malaysia...
, Roti Canai
Roti canai
Roti canai or roti cane is a type of Indian-influenced flatbread found in Malaysia and Indonesia. It is often sold in Mamak stalls in Malaysia; also in Malay, Minangkabau and Aceh restaurants in Indonesia...
(or roti planta), roadside burgers, local coffee and a large selection of cakes, pastries and desserts. Planta is a fortified margarine consisting mainly of hydrogenated
Hydrogenation
Hydrogenation, to treat with hydrogen, also a form of chemical reduction, is a chemical reaction between molecular hydrogen and another compound or element, usually in the presence of a catalyst. The process is commonly employed to reduce or saturate organic compounds. Hydrogenation typically...
palm oil
Palm oil
Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...
as the main ingredient, which is high in saturated fat
Saturated fat
Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms...
.
In August 1960, two people died eating Planta-brand margarine. The culprit was a new chemical ingredient which aided the margarine's texture. The ingredient led to serious illnesses and skin irritations. Across Europe, margarine brands saw reduced sales - which the UK's Butter Information Council rather insensitively referred to as a 'Godsend' after years of being outdone by expensive margarine advertising.