Interesterified Palm Kernel Oil

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Interesterified palm kernel oil (IPKO) is palm kernel oil whose fatty acids have been randomly redistributed across the triglyceride backbone via chemical (sodium methoxide) or enzymatic (lipase) interesterification to alter its melting profile, crystallisation behaviour, and solid fat content without generating trans fatty acids. It is widely used in confectionery coatings, shortenings, margarines, bakery fats, and meat product formulations as a functional trans-fat replacement.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

IPKO carries a high saturated fatty acid load (predominantly lauric, myristic, and palmitic acids) and animal studies have demonstrated that interesterified palm oil can impair insulin signalling, promote insulin resistance, and trigger adipose tissue inflammation and hepatic steatosis. Refining of palm kernel oil generates process contaminants—glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE), 3-MCPD, and 2-MCPD—that EFSA has assessed as genotoxic/carcinogenic (GE) or non-genotoxic carcinogens (3-MCPD) at high exposure levels relevant to all age groups. Human evidence on cardiometabolic effects of commercially relevant IE fats remains limited and contested.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
Health Canada (Canada)	Approved	The Canadian Food Drug Regulations (FDR) do not specifically require 'interesterification' in the common name, but CFIA encourages declaring it as 'interesterified palm kernel oil' unless the product meets the standard for shortening. Interesterified palm kernel oil is permitted under general edible fat provisions.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Interesterified palm kernel oil is permitted in food. However, Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/290 and subsequent amendments set maximum limits for process contaminants inherent to refined palm kernel oil: glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE) ≤1.0 mg/kg in vegetable oils and fats for direct consumption or as food ingredients; 3-MCPD esters ≤1.25 mg/kg for palm kernel oil and its blends (Regulation (EU) 2020/1322). Stricter limits apply for infant and follow-on formula (GE ≤0.5 mg/kg fat). No ADI established for the oil itself.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Palm kernel oil and its modified forms including interesterified variants are permissible under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations. Specific limits for GE and MCPD process contaminants in palm-based oils are under ongoing regulatory review aligned with Codex Alimentarius standards. No dedicated IPKO-specific ADI is established.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — EFSA flagged that GE exposure to infants consuming infant formula containing palm kernel oil-derived fats is up to ten times the threshold considered of low concern for public health, representing a particular concern.

Pregnancy — Animal data indicate that maternal intake of interesterified fats during pregnancy and lactation can modify mitochondrial bioenergetics in the liver of adult offspring, suggesting potential developmental risks.

Lactation — By extension of pregnancy findings showing interesterified fat effects transmitted to offspring via maternal diet, caution is warranted during lactation pending further human evidence.

Diabetes — Multiple animal studies demonstrate that interesterified palm oil impairs insulin signalling, promotes insulin resistance, and elevates HOMA-IR, suggesting potential worsening of glycaemic control in individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Heart Disease — Human RCT evidence shows that IE palm stearin/palm kernel fat raises atherogenic lipoprotein concentrations compared to MUFA-rich oils, and a pilot study found increased postprandial lipaemia, both of which are recognised cardiovascular risk factors.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Food Additive Status List – Cocoa butter substitute from coconut oil, palm kernel oil or both (21 CFR 172.861). fda.gov
2PubMed. Consumption of interesterified palm oil leads inflammation of white adipose tissue and triggers metabolic disturbances in mice on a high-fat diet (Sci Rep, 2024), 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Interesterified palm oil promotes insulin resistance and altered insulin secretion and signaling in Swiss mice, 2024. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Palmitic acid-rich oils with and without interesterification lower postprandial lipemia and increase atherogenic lipoproteins compared with a MUFA-rich oil: A randomized controlled trial, 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5EFSA. Update of the risk assessment on 3-monochloropropane diol and its fatty acid esters (EFSA CONTAM Panel, 2018), 2018. efsa.europa.eu
6PubMed. What are interesterified fats and should we be worried about them in our diet? (Mills, Hall & Berry, Nutrition Bulletin, 2017), 2017.

Independently researched7 citations