MIDDLE EAST

greater amounts being blended and channelled through the country’s subsidy programme.

Imports are projected at 360,000 tonnes in the 2023/24 MY.

Sunflower oil production in 2023/24 is forecast at 40,000 tonnes and consumption at 330,000 tonnes, driven by population increase and anticipated higher usage by urban middle and higherincome consumers. Sunflower oil imports in 2022/23 are forecast at 300,000 tonnes, driven by increased consumption and higher use in blending with soyabean oil for the country’s subsidy programme.

Palm oil is not produced in Egypt, nor are oil palms cultivated. The USDA forecast palm oil consumption in 2023/24 at 1.09M tonnes, attributed to population growth and more use of palm oil in food production.

“We estimate that 94% of palm oil goes to food production and vegetable shortenings account for 40%,” the USDA wrote in its report. “Restaurants, catering and fast food chains utilise shortening extensively. Production of vegetable ghee accounts for 50% of palm oil use. Margarine accounts for 3% of use, mainly by private bakeries and patisseries.”

Imports of palm oil in 2023/24 are forecast at 1.1M tonnes.

El-Enany of the MPOC writes that palm oil accounts for around 67% of the Egyptian edible oils market, followed by soyabean oil (16%) and sunflower oil (14%), and palm kernel oil (2%) (see Figure 1, previous page).

Palm oil imports have been rising in the past five years (see Figure 2, previous page) and are widely used in products ranging from blended cooking oils, vegetable ghee, cheese, sweets, baked goods, margarine, cereals, detergents and cosmetics. There is also growing uptake of palm oil in the food processing industry.

In an effort to improve Egypt’s competitiveness in local and international markets, the government is planning to develop and merge some edible oil subsidiaries to enhance production capacity, reduce total costs and maximise profits, El-Enany says. “It also plans to establish three new edible oil plants at New Borg Al Arab, Sadat City and Suhag City to replace six old factories.”

Key palm oil exporters

The leading suppliers of bulk palm oil shipments to Egypt are Wilmar International, Singapore, and Malaysia’s Pacific Interlink, both with a 41% share, El-Enany writes (see Figure 3, left). This is followed by PT Synergy Oil Nusantara, Indonesia (9%); AAA Oils and Fats Pte Ltd, Singapore (5%); Nagamas Group, Indonesia (2%); PT Asianagro Agungiaya, Indonesia (1%); and Mewaholeo Industries, Malaysia (1%).

“Most suppliers deliver Indonesian palm oil, which accounts for 77.7% of palm oil imports into Egypt, while Malaysian palm oil represents 22.3%,” El-Enany says.

However, in 2022, exports of Malaysian palm oil and its derivatives to Egypt saw a substantial increase of 37% compared to 2021 (see Table 1, left).

“Malaysian palm oil exports to Egypt have been increasing in the last five years, representing a four-fold increase compared to 2018.” (see Figure 4, left).

She says Malaysia’s exports to Egypt are expected to increase due to strong demand for various food and non-food applications and to fulfil local market needs and satisfy higher demand in neighbouring countries.

“Egypt holds a great opportunity for Malaysian palm oil market expansion.”

Malaysian Palm Oil Council

Direct exports can benefit from favourable palm oil import duties and taxes and there is also a window to collaborate with government-affiliate companies to develop bulk storage facilities to satisfy the needs of the domestic market, as well as for re-export to neighbouring counties, El-Enany says.

“Finally, there is also a need to work closely with the government to put into effect the inclusion of palm olein in the cooking oil blend offered under the food subsidy scheme.” ● Serena

Lim is the editor of OFI

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Deep Frying

Today’s snack food manufacturers and industrial fryers must address concerns about sustainability, energy efficiency and carbon emissions

Bobby Kane

Food manufacturers and consumers are increasingly concerned about sustainability, energy and environmental efficiency, as well as reducing water usage and carbon emissions. So how can deep fryers meet these challenges?

Bobby Kane, general manager at Heat and Control, UK, addressed these issues at the 11th International Deep Frying Symposium in Hamburg in March.

At a basic level, frying involves a pan for hot oil, the means to heat the oil, equipment to circulate the oil, a filter to remove particulates from oil, a conveyor to carry product out of the pan, and a hood for controlling the environment inside the fryer, he explained.

“Commercially-manufactured fryers are made from ferrous material – carbon steel and mostly stainless steel,” he said.

Materials that should not be used to make or manufacture a fryer – due to their effect on frying oil – include copper or any of its alloys, aluminium, zinc and unsuitable plastics such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW).

The frying process

“In the frying process, uniformity and control are critical,” Kane said, setting out some of the main factors critical for quality frying:

• Maintaining a solid or uniform flow of product feed to the fryer.

• Establishing and maintaining the correct oil level.

• Controlling the flow of product in the fryer.

• Maintaining a uniform cooking time.

• A quality oil inlet jet design to assist in elimination of eddies at the fryer mouth.

Frying oil

The oil used for frying has two functions, Kane explained.

“It serves as medium for transferring heat from a thermal source to the product and it becomes an ingredient of the finished product. People love the taste of oil within a product. By using oil, you drive out 7880% water, creating a different flavour, and that is what the consumer wants.”

The level of oxidation and free fatty acids (FFAs), as well as the oil turnover rate are key components in managing oil