Unilever food safety assurance system for refined vegetable oils and fats

Unilever Supply Chain Technology Unit, P.O. Box 114, 3130AC Vlaardingen, The Netherlands

^* Gerrit-van.Duijn@unilever.com

Abstract

The Unilever Food Safety Assurance system for refined oils and fats is based on risk assessments for the presence of contaminants or pesticide residues in crude oils, and refining process studies to validate the removal of these components. Crude oil risk assessments were carried out by combining supply chain visits, and analyses of the contaminant and pesticide residue levels in a large number of crude oil samples. Contaminants like poly-aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrocarbons of mineral origin, and pesticide residues can largely be removed by refining. For many years, this Food Safety Assurance System has proven to be effective in controlling contaminant levels in refined vegetable oils and fats.