Brief me
The VITAPALM project is targeted at laying the foundations for breeding new varieties of African Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) that produce non-refined crude oil with improved nutritional qualities (lower saturated fat, higher levels of vitamins) and increased stability (low lipase content). For this purpose, we will take advantage of natural variability within oil palm elite genitors to select appropriate trees, and we will also include wild palm trees. We will screen oil palm fruits for total fatty acid composition, free fatty acid content, vitamin E (tocopherol/tocotrienol) and provitamin A (carotenoid) contents. In addition, we will carry out genetic analyses to identify molecular markers for future marker-assisted selection. At last, we will perform an in depth study on the flexibility brought by low-lipase lines to define new harvesting practices compatible with those of smallholders, and leading to oil with lower free fatty acid levels. We expect that more stable crude oil with high levels of vitamins will prove an important asset to reduce vitamin A deficiency in Africa. Also, consumers will pay a premium for improved crude palm oil, leading to increased income for African smallholders.
More information
Coordinators | University of Bonn |
Coordinated in | Germany |
Participants | Université de Bordeaux Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Oil Palm Research Institute (CSIR-OPRI) Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD) |
Funded under | LEAP-AGRI |
Geographic coverage | CameroonGhana |
Originally Published | 14 Jun 2019 |
Knowledge service | Metadata | Global Food and Nutrition Security | Research and Innovation |
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET) | waste oilnutrition |
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