The statement comes amid increasing criticism regarding the use of palm oil, a cheaper but considered unhealthy ingredient, in packaged foods across India.
PepsiCo India also aims to decrease salt in its snacks to less than 1.3 milligrams of sodium per calorie by 2025.
- PepsiCo India trials replacing palm oil in Lay’s chips
- Company said ingredients listed on every product sold in India
- PepsiCo India also working to reduce salt in snacks by 2025
PepsiCo India began trials last year to replace palm oil and palmolein with a mixture of sunflower oil and palmolein in Lay’s potato chips, the company spokesperson said.
The statement comes amid increasing criticism regarding the use of palm oil, a cheaper but considered unhealthy ingredient, in packaged foods across India.
In a statement, the company spokesperson said, “PepsiCo is dedicated to producing high-quality, great-tasting products in every market where we operate.”
“There are often different recipes for foods or drinks in different countries, which is attributed to several factors such as local preferences, manufacturing capabilities, ingredient availability and market dynamics,” it added.
PepsiCo said that ingredients are listed on every product the firm sells in India, “allowing consumers to make conscious decisions about their purchases”.
The spokesperson said that PepsiCo India had initiated trials of a blend of sunflower oil and palmolein oil in certain parts of their portfolio last year, “becoming one of the few players in the food industry in India” to take the step.
Palmolein is a liquid derived from the refining of palm oil, both sourced from the oil palm fruit. Palm oil remains semi-solid at room temperature.
PepsiCo India is also working on reducing salt in its snacks to less than 1.3 milligrams of sodium per calorie by the year 2025.
“On salt, we have set ourselves a goal that by 2025 at least 3/4 or 75% of our foods portfolio volume will not exceed 1.3 milligrams of sodium per calorie. We are making a good progress towards this goal,” PepsiCo India spokesperson said.
The use of palm oil is common among dozens of packaged food brands in India, including salty snacks, biscuits, chocolates, noodles, bread, and ice cream, due to its lower cost compared to sunflower or soyabean oil.
Lay’s classic salted chips are available in India starting at Rs 10, marking one of the lowest price points for the global brand. Apart from Lay’s, PepsiCo India’s food portfolio includes Doritos, Kurkure, and Quaker products.
Packaged food companies, particularly multinational corporations, have faced criticism from nutritionists, health advocates, and social media influencers for using different and often cheaper or less healthy ingredients in their products sold in developing nations compared to those sold in the US and Europe.