How To Identify Pure Palm Oil

Pure palm oil tells on itself. Before you cook with a new bottle, spend two minutes on these checks and you will know exactly what you bought.

1. Look at the colour. Genuine, freshly milled palm oil is a deep natural red-orange with warmth in it. Oil that is unnaturally bright, uniform or almost fluorescent has usually been coloured.

2. Do the cold test. Refrigerate a small quantity for a few hours. Pure palm oil solidifies into a smooth, creamy, even mass. Adulterated oil separates into layers, stays runny, or forms a watery bottom.

3. Smell it. Real palm oil carries a distinctive, slightly nutty, earthy aroma. A chemical, rancid or completely neutral smell is a warning sign.

4. Check for residue and water. Pour a little into a clear glass. Sediment, cloudiness or droplets of water at the bottom mean poor handling or deliberate dilution.

5. Watch it cook. Pure oil clears and shimmers gently when heated. Excessive foaming, spitting or a sudden colour change points to additives.

At Step'21 every batch is milled fresh and sealed without dye, water or additives — so it passes all five checks, every time.