TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A researcher at the Agro-Industry Research Center, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indra Budi Susetyo, asserted that red cooking oil, known as M3, is not a novel processed palm oil product. This cooking oil has been meticulously studied and manufactured for over two decades.

Indra disclosed that in neighboring countries such as Malaysia, M3 is widely recognized and has become a staple commodity. He alluded to the red cooking oil plant recently inaugurated by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, a week ago.

“Research on M3 in Indonesia was popularized by experts from IPB (Bogor Agricultural Institute) several decades ago,” Indra told Tempo on Wednesday, March 20.

The M3 industry has long been prevalent in neighboring countries. Some renowned brands producing red cooking oil are Carotino, Harvist, Dr Normal, Nutrolein, Sunno Unrefined, and Elaiese.

As implied by its name, the cooking oil exhibits a vivid red hue compared to regular cooking oil. Particularly in Indonesia, Indra opined that the color disparity could pose a challenge in marketing the product to the public due to its unfamiliarity.

Indra explained that red cooking oil does not undergo refining or bleaching processes like conventional cooking oil, resulting in its bright red color and the retention of the robust aroma of palm kernels.

However, Indra believed that red cooking oil boasts a higher nutritional value than conventional cooking oil, containing phytonutrient compounds as a source of vitamin A, tocopherols, and tocotrienols as vitamin E, as well as squalene.

ALIF ILHAM FAJRIADI

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