Haven’t Yet Purchased Halloween Candy? Minnesota Zoo Recommendation: Buy “Palm Oil Free” Candy to Save Tropical Forests and Wildlife

Apple Valley, MINN – October 30, 2015 – Attention last minute Halloween candy shoppers: did you know that buying palm-oil free candy helps save wildlife? The Minnesota Zoo recommends using a Palm Oil Shopping Guide App when you stock up for trick-or-treaters.

Palm oil is the world’s most widely produced vegetable oil.  It is an ingredient in about half of the items you find in most supermarkets, items like shampoo, toothpaste, peanut butter and candy bars. The rapid demand for palm oil has led to the destruction of tropical forests in Indonesia, Malaysia, and beyond as forests are converted to agricultural fields. This conversion of tropical forests to palm oil plantations often leads to habitat loss for animals like endangered tigers, orangutans, elephants, and tapirs.

Palm oil is an important crop to the economy and people of Indonesia and Malaysia – and can be produced in a responsible way without cutting down the rainforest.  The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil has established criteria that help minimize negative impacts on the environment and communities in palm oil-producing regions; palm oil produced under these practices is certified as “sustainable.”  The number of companies around the world that have committed to using sustainable palm oil continues to grow.

Certified sustainable palm oil, however, is not necessarily deforestation-free.  Some companies are working toward stricter standards to protect forests and valuable peat lands.  You can help save tropical forests and wildlife like orangutans, Malayan tapirs, and critically endangered Sumatran tigers by purchasing products that use responsible palm oil sources.

The Minnesota Zoo is a year-round destination located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. Its mission is to connect people, animals and the natural world to save wildlife. For more information, call 952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).