Table of Contents
Introduction
Vegetable oils have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. We cannot imagine one activity in our routine without these oils. Cooking, lubricating, greasing, and for a lot more miscellaneous activities, you need oil, particularly vegetable oil. We often underestimate the unwavering importance that oil holds in our routine.
One such oil is the Palm oil. Its growing importance and popularity convinced us to find out and write more about it. In the following article, we will find out everything essential about palm oil, what is it, where is it most used, how to choose the right palm oil, some interesting facts about palm oil, and above all, placing our emphasis on the HSN code of Palm oil.
If you just look at your palm oil bottle, you are likely to find an HSN code at its back. What does it mean? Let’s concur!
What is Palm Oil
The principal source of palm oil is believed to be Elaeis guineensis, which is an African oil palm. Palm oil is extracted from the reddish pulp (or the mesocarp) of the oil palm fruits and is used as an edible vegetable oil throughout the world.
Nutritional Information
We can gather enough information regarding palm just skimming through its mere health and nutritional information.
| Nutrition (1 tablespoon) | Palm Oil |
| Calories | 120 cal |
| Total fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 7 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 0 mg |
| Potassium | 0 mg |
Palm oil has been witnessed to prevent vitamin A deficiency, vulnerabilities to cancerous cells, early aging signs, and even some brain diseases. However, the high amount of saturated fats present in palm oil is a serious impetus for cardiovascular diseases and high cholesterol levels.
Moreover, if consumed regularly, palm oil can stimulate weight gain in people, by triggering triglycerides. That said, if used in moderation, palm oil has low or no effects on human bodily functioning.
Uses of Palm Oil
Now, palm oil isn’t the healthiest (click here to find out the impact it has on your body: How is Palm Oil Made), however, it does a lot! We shall be inspecting its plus point in a while, however, let us first look at the various uses it has.
Despite all the uninvited critics and defects of palm oil, it is used widely, almost in every sector. Here are some essential areas in which palm oil is used extensively. Please note we do not recommend the usage of palm oil I either of these fronts.
Bio mass and Bio fuel
Recently, the usage of palm oil has been increased dramatically to produce palm oil bio diesel and palm oil methyl ester. It is reportedly used in European countries, where it readily meets their requirements.
When it comes to producing biological energy, the organic waste matter of oil palm can be used to do so. It has proved beneficial and effective in producing energy. Further, once people get rid of the palm oil that they used for frying, they can use those remains to create bio diesel, having a very similar composition to petroleum diesel.
Food Sector
Many people remain aloof of the fact that palm oil solidifies at room temperature, and is then used as butter in meals of temperate regions. Confectionary trade is a fan of this highly saturated nature of palm oil and credit this by using the butter into baked goods, pastries, etc.
Further, it is widely used to fry snacks and other food items in the market, which is largely brought by each of us in great amounts.
It is also interesting how palm oil is rarely used as a calf milk replacement (as a minor ingredient though).
However, a lot of your food items probably couldn’t happen without palm oil. Read all about palm oil’s affair with food here. (Article on why is palm oil popular)
Wounds
Some people attribute the nature and composition of palm oil to treat microbial wounds. People believe palm oil confides antimicrobial effects, however, medical professionals have not found any effective evidence for this property till date.
Cosmetics
The beauty and cosmetic industry is a fan of palm oil because of its extraordinary texturizing and moisturizing properties. Cosmetic products use palm oil for adding a moisturizing, foaming, softening, solubilizing, and texturizing element in them.
Palm oil derivatives, largely, fatty acids and glycerol provide maximum benefit to the beauty products.
Animal Feed
Palm oil and its derivatives have a pivotal role when it comes to animal feed and nutrition. Though, the amount of nutrition varies depending on different animals and their nutritional intake and requirements.
British animals are happily fed palm kernel meal, and for the same reason, Britain imports palm oil of nearly a million tons annually.
Ruminant animals are a byproduct of palm oil, known as PKC, which is believed to be a brilliant source of fiber and protein and helps in satisfying animals at a cheaper cost.
How is Palm Oil Graded
In the usual sense, palm oil is graded before it is packaged and it is often done through human means. The grading process is unique and very interesting. The initial grading system begins before processing, when the oil palm fruit bunches are supposed to be graded according to their ripeness levels.
This is an important indicator of how well the palm oil products behave in the market, once they are packaged and manufactured. At their processing level, oil palm fruits are generally graded into four basic levels. These are ripe, underripe, unripe, and overripe.
These fruits are also categorized according to their colors. A young, under-matured fruit is yellow in color and is black at its apex. As the palm fruit matures, the color scheme ranges from reddish-orange, to red, and finally to black (beginning from yellow).
The following table shows a comprehensive grading system of oil palm fruit bunches in detail.
| Category | Description |
| Black (Unripe) | Bunch with complete fruits |
| Hard (Underripe) | Bunch with 1% to 9% fruits detached |
| Ripe | Bunch with 10% to 50% fruits detached |
| Over ripe | Bunch with 50% to 90% fruits detached |
| Empty bunch | Bunch with more than 90% fruits detached |
| Rotten | Bunch with all or part having turned black |
However, it has been found and proven that the manual grading process of palm oils is labor intensive, time-consuming, expensive, and in some cases destroy the production too. In the contemporary realm, researches are being conducted to find quicker alternatives to this process, and how to switch to automatic methods as soon as possible. Oil palm detection, for instance, is a fast-growing solution.
Is this all there is it palm oil grading? If yes, then what could the HSN codes on your palm oil bottles mean?
As it turns out HSN is not a measure of product grading, certainly not in the case of palm oil. Then, what exactly does it help you with? What can Palm Oil’s HSN give us?
What Does HSN Mean?
The Harmonized System of Nomenclature, abbreviated as HSN, can be understood as a classification system for goods all over the world. It is a 6 digit, worldwide accepted code that has been believed to classify up to 5000 types of goods.
Developed by the World Customs Organization (WCO), an HSN code was first introduced to the world in 1998 and works in a legally logical structure to facilitate the classification of goods on a planetary basis.
It is a multipurpose 6 digit code, that is currently participating in more than 200 countries. Apart from this, an HSN code is also used to review the applicable tax on a particular product that is under review in a specific country. It has important implications for both Custom agents and the GST (Goods and Services Tax).
An HSN code is composed of 21 sections, 99 chapters, 1244 headings, and 5244 subheadings. It is interesting to note that, in some countries, the HSN code can be of eight digits, pertaining to 2 additional digits that are placed additionally.
Palm Oil HSN Code
An HSN code is majorly helpful in classifying multifarious international goods and transporting them internationally in a logical manner. While Palm oil is just another commodity, HSN codes are available for separating each good on the basis of different factors categorically.
An HSN code is informative in the sense that the flashing 4-8 digits (usually 6) of each commodity reveal interesting aspects of that good. The first two digits are representative of the chapter number, while the next two digits inform the buyers about the sub-heading that belongs to the particular chapter. Finally, the last two digits inform us of the grading of that good (if we are talking about rice, assume the grading to be polished, unpolished, semi milled, or wholly milled).
The HSN code ensures that there stands the chance of 0% ambiguity between two traders (usually two countries).
Here is good news for buyers, HSN code makes the buyers a more active member of the whole purchasing process. Fortunately, the HSN code of a commodity is an accurate tax slab indicator of that particular good. It helps the buyers gain knowledge of the trading revenues and tax slabs as charged by the government on different products. This way, they can make an informed decision about their purchase.
That being said, what is the HSN code of Palm oil and how do the two go when placed hand in hand? Let us discover. According to official sources, the HSN code for palm oil is 15132110. What does it tell us? The 15 (first two digits) are indicative of the 15th chapter, i.e., Animal or Vegetable Fats and Oils and the by-products derived in their process; Prepared Edible Fats; Animal or Vegetable Waxes), 13(next two digits) tell us about the subheading which includes the oil classification and informs us whether or not it has been refined and modified. In this case, 13 signifies its unrefined palm kernel oil. You could also use the coming numbers to understand where is this oil made and exported from.
Nevertheless, it seems that the HSN code does not have great or significant implications on the grading system of palm oil or of any other product in particular. However, through the presence of HSN codes, the product valuation becomes stable and informed. Customers know what they are paying for and everything works in as transparent a manner as possible.
Which HSN Code is Right for Cooking
The mechanism of cooking can itself be classified into numerous variants. Ready to cook food, preservatives, beverages, edibles, oils, sauces, and spices, to name a few. Here are some listed and carefully researched HSN codes that are best for cooking.
| HSN Code | Description |
| 15162091 | Kosmic 345 REF VEGETABLE FAT |
| 15162019 | Nature Fresh Professional Lite |
| 15162019 | Nature Fresh Professional Classic |
| 15162091 | Arachis Oil Hydrogenated |
| 15162039 | Hydrogenated Castor Oil Flakes |
| 15162091 | Bakery Shortening Vanaspati Manufactured from CPO |
| 15162039 | Non edible hydrogenated Castor Oil Flakes |
| 15162091 | KOSMIC 345-REF. VEGETABLE FAT |
| 15162099 | K-LITE-TF BAKERY SHORTENING AERATED |
| 15162091 | Bakery Shortening |
| 15162091 | NF PROF LIFE ( BOS) -C L ( VAG-FAT)( API) |
| 15162091 | NFP CLASSIC BAKERY SHORTENING( API) |
These HSN codes are carefully classified and systematically divided. You can use them to refer to edible items as per your convenience.
How to Choose Palm Oil
It can be tricky to select the appropriate palm oil, especially when you have numerous options lying in front of you. Here are some recommendations that you can put to use for becoming a palm oil frontrunner.
- Rely only on 100% RSPO certified palm oil and palm oil products before you purchase them. Check for the standardization mark, ensure that it is correctly established with no apertures, and then, buy one. It might be difficult to find this requirement, but this is what you need to lead a healthy life.
- Make an effort to buy palm oil products only from those manufacturers who use sustainable means to create them. It is easy to ensure this.
- If only RSPO certified ingredients are used
- Transparency in their location
- Commitment to green techniques like zero deforestation or no extravagant pollution
- An urge to the consumers to buy and adopt only sustainable methods
- Do not always run after top-notch companies. Rather, evaluate their routes and practices that have been used to create your oil. Encourage purchasing behavior towards those companies who support small stakeholders and have produced the oil through natural methods.
- Browse and gain insights into the current status of your palm oil manufacturer. Review their social media presence, customer support channels, support from policymakers and government officials, and consumer reviews. Seek validation for your beliefs from multiple sources, and then choose the right option.
- Evaluate the product that you are buying. Do not fall for items that say ‘light palm oil’ or ‘refined palm oil’ or ‘cold-pressed palm oil’, when you have ‘extra virgin palm oil’ on your list. An extra virgin palm oil ensures that the oil has gone through no refinements and is created from the very first processing stage. It makes your palm oil healthier.
- Look onto labels that say certified sustainable Palm oil (CSPO). CSPO ensures that the palm oil you are purchasing is certified to have been made by sustainable means and promotes the sustainability of the environment.
- Do not buy the first palm oil that you see. Look among four to five different options. Compare. Compare their price, ingredients, certifications, and other things to choose the best. Hasty purchasing is always a mistake.
- Check testimonials on their official website and satisfy yourself with the options that look most appropriate.
Interesting facts
Palm oil is definitely the most used vegetable oil in almost every sector of the world. But, did you know that this increasing use of palm oil by the masses has invited social conflicts and environmental concerns of the globe?
- The use of palm oil has stimulated biodiversity loss, deforestation, and destruction of the local ecosystems.
- Palm oil cultivation is the leading source of the endangerment of a particular species that goes by the name of Sumatran orangutan.
- Human rights violation has been experienced by the natives of regions that have abundant palm oil production.
Other than these, some other quick facts about Palm oil are listed below:
- Reportedly, palm oil outstand the other vegetable oils by having the highest yield.
- To date, palm oil is the most consumed vegetable oil around the globe.
- Indonesia was labeled as the highest palm-oil-producing country in the world.
Conclusion
Since palm oil is widely used, it attracts a lot of debate and controversies towards it. However, we have collected and comprehended some easy alternatives for you. If you have read the article carefully, then you’d be well informed about HSN codes by now, we hope this helps you clear out any doubts you had regarding Palm Oil HSN codes as HSN is a measure of tax obligations, since palm oil happens to be heavily imported for major parts of the world.
For more fresh and valuable information, stay tuned.