About this Research Topic

Background

The UN Sustainable Development Goals offer a comprehensive summary of global problems of the modern world and their solutions, but the practical realization of these is a much more complicated issue. A striking example of this is the palm oil production system. On the one hand, the rather contradictious consequences of palm oil production on the environment are well documented and known in academia. On the other hand, the increasing production and export is a strategic question for economic development and sovereignty for numerous countries in the Third World, generating resources for the socio-economic catch-up to the developed countries. Palm oil has a number of applications in giving foods desirable characteristics such as improved shelf-life and thermal stability, and may offer certain nutritional health benefits. Moreover, in non-nutritive applications, palm oil has uses in beauty products and cosmetics, cleaning agents, biofuels, and more.

This is why the palm oil production and consumption topic is very complex and can be analyzed only on the basis of a system approach, taking into consideration a wide array of factors, influencing the actual behavior of different actors. Some palm-oil-producing countries have developed a system for the promotion of sustainable production practices ('Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil', RSPO), but the level of knowledge and influence of this system on consumer behavior and purchasing decisions are unknown.

Currently, there is a lack of such a comprehensive platform, where the various results of research on different aspects - from production through trade to consumption - of palm-oil production could be presented. The goal of the Research Topic is to create a channel of communication for palm-oil-related research results, applying a holistic approach, based on the “farm to fork” approach.

Subtopics of interest in this context include (but are not limited to):
• Role of palm-based ingredients in sustainable diets
• Human health impacts of palm oil and its associated products determined using in vitro and in vivo studies
• Sustainable use of palm oil in non-nutritive applications (beauty, household agents, cleansers and more)
• The role of palm oil production in socio-economic development in producer states
• Balancing trade-offs of palm oil production and consumption between social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability
• New research results and best practices for sustainable palm oil production
• How consumers outside the West perceive palm oil
• Better modeling of consumer and purchasing behavior
• Awareness of the 'Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil' (RSPO) logo and its importance in the purchasing process
• Technological and economic potential and constraints for improving sustainable palm oil production rates
• Role of palm oil in circular economy
• Alternatives to unsustainable palm oil production
• Corporate responsibility to promote sustainable palm oil production and consumption
• Developing effective corporate communications to showcase corporate palm oil efforts

Keywords: consumer behavior, willingness to buy, willingness to pay, RSPO, socio-economic development, palm oil production, sustainable palm oil production, trade regulation, corporate responsibility, corporate communication, sustainable development, sustainable diets, circular economy

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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