The Chilean Ministry of Health has formally proposed the approval of three plant seed oils as novel edible vegetable oils under the country's existing sanitary regulations. The proposal, grounded in current food safety frameworks and relevant scientific evidence, covers oils extracted from the seeds of Shorea robusta (sal tree), Garcinia indica (kokum), and Mangifera indica (mango). A public consultation period of 60 days has been opened, inviting stakeholders and the general public to submit comments before the regulation is finalized.
Regulatory Basis and Proposal Overview
The Ministry of Health's proposal is anchored in Chile's current sanitary regulations governing edible vegetable oils and fats. Based on a review of scientific evidence supporting the safety and nutritional profiles of these three seed-derived oils, the Ministry seeks to formally recognize them within the national food regulatory framework. In addition to granting approval for their use, the proposal establishes specific physicochemical parameters and fatty acid composition requirements that each oil must meet to qualify for use and commercialization as an edible vegetable oil in Chile.
Physicochemical Parameters
Each of the three proposed oils is characterized by defined physicochemical properties that serve as quality and identity benchmarks. For Shorea robusta seed oil, the relative density at 40°C is set at 0.88 ± 0.1, a refractive index of 1.44–1.46, an iodine value of 31–45 (Wijs), a saponification value of 180–224.2 mg KOH/g, and a melting point of 30–37°C. For Garcinia indica seed oil, the relative density ranges from 0.898 to 0.914, with a refractive index of 1.457–1.575, an iodine value of 30–50, a saponification value of 185–195 mg KOH/g, and a melting point of 34–43°C. For Mangifera indica seed oil, the relative density is set between 0.87 and 0.965, the refractive index between 1.343 and 1.559, the iodine value between 30 and 58.3, the saponification value between 151 and 202.5 mg KOH/g, and the melting point between 23.5 and 47°C. These parameters serve as identity and purity standards to ensure product consistency and regulatory traceability.
Fatty Acid Composition Requirements
The proposal also specifies permissible ranges for the fatty acid methyl ester composition of each oil, reflecting their distinct lipid profiles. Shorea robusta seed oil is characterized predominantly by high stearic acid content (34.7–60.0%) and oleic acid (33.0–50.0%), with minor contributions from palmitic acid (0.2–8.3%), linoleic acid (0.0–8.0%), arachidic acid (0.0–12.3%), heptadecanoic acid (0.0–8.3%), and trace levels of palmitoleic acid (less than 0.23%), linolenic acid (less than 1.3%), and eicosenoic acid (less than 0.5%).
Garcinia indica seed oil is similarly rich in stearic acid (49.0–67.4%) and oleic acid (27.0–49.0%), with palmitic acid present at 1.4–8.0%, heptadecanoic acid at 0.0–5.0%, and minor amounts of myristic acid (less than 0.4%), linoleic acid (less than 1.7%), and arachidic acid (less than 0.5%).
Mangifera indica seed oil presents a broader compositional range, with stearic acid between 14.2 and 60.1%, oleic acid between 34.0 and 58.6%, palmitic acid at 3.0–18.0%, linoleic acid at 1.0–13.0%, linolenic acid at 0.25–5.3%, arachidic acid at 0.35–4.0%, and myristic acid at 0.1–8.0%, along with trace amounts of lauric acid (less than 0.1%) and palmitoleic acid (less than 0.4%).
Significance and Industry Outlook
The proposed approval of these three novel seed oils reflects Chile's evolving approach to diversifying its edible oil category in line with global trends in functional and specialty fats. All three oils — commonly known as sal fat, kokum butter, and mango kernel fat respectively — have established uses in food manufacturing, confectionery, and cosmetics in other parts of the world, particularly in South and Southeast Asia. Their high stearic and oleic acid content makes them particularly suitable as cocoa butter equivalents and functional fat ingredients. Formal recognition within Chilean food law would open pathways for their import, commercialization, and use in food product formulation under a clear and enforceable regulatory standard. Stakeholders, industry players, and the public are encouraged to participate in the 60-day consultation process through the Ministry of Health's official channels.