TRUE VEGAN COOKING OIL
A STAPLE in Malaysian households, Cow Brand vanaspati (hydrogenated vegetable cooking oil) has a history spanning over six decades since its creation as Cow Brand ghee substitute.
Its manufacturer, Rotterdam Margarine Industries based in The Netherlands (popularly known as Romi), was a frontrunner in producing substitute dairy products from vegetable oils and fats.
Cow Brand got its name in a rather unorthodox manner. During the early 1960s, the International Society of Krshna Consciousness, or Hare Krshna Movement, in collaboration with vegetarian societies in Europe, proposed that the cow be regarded as the main vegetarian animal sacred to oriental faiths such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and Taoism.
Romi took this concept, blending sunflower oil and rape seed oil – first decolourising and deodorising these edible oils, partially hydrogenating them and then adding vegetable-based beta carotene (ghee colour) and vegetable-based ghee flavour.
Romi had one of the most advanced biotechnology processes in this field and produced one of the best ghee substitutes of its time.
Merdeka Trading Corporation, which was established by the late Sardool Singh in 1962, first imported Cow Brand ghee substitute in 1962.
However, some rival firms petitioned that Cow Brand ghee substitute was a misrepresentation as ghee was defined by Food Act regulations then as constituting at least 99.7% milk fat from the milk of cow, buffalo or ghee.
Sardool defended Cow Brand on the basis that it was labelled as a ghee substitute.
The manufacturer changed its labelling to Cow Brand vegetable ghee in the early 1970s.
Eventually, Food Act regulations worldwide adapted the word vanaspati as a product constituting at least 99.7% vegetable oils, being partially hydrogenated with colouring matter and flavouring matter added to resemble pure ghee.
Being consistent with the Malaysian Food Act 1983, Cow Brand vegetable ghee was re-labelled as Cow Brand vanaspati.
With the advent of palm oil in the 1980s, Cow Brand now constitutes refined palm oil (94.99%), refined hydrogenated palm oil (4.99%), beta carotene as colouring matter (0.01%) and a flavouring matter (0.01%).
All contents are free from animal origin, making it a vegan product that can be used freely irrespective of religion.
It is highly recommended for those who need to maintain low HDL cholesterol levels due to medical concerns.
Cow Brand vanaspati’s declaration of quality reveals that its free fatty acid content is less than 0.15% – deeming it trans-fat free. It is halal certified by the Halal Quality Control, Netherlands, which is recognised by Jakim. Certification and product details can be viewed at www.dishhad.com.
Both its additives – natural beta carotene being the colouring matter and the vegetable-based flavouring matter – give this product a golden yellow colour, fine taste and excellent aroma.
There are many vanaspati products worldwide produced from palm oil or other vegetable oils, but only a few can match the quality and benefits of Cow Brand vanaspati.
Cow Brand vanaspati is half the price compared to products labelled as ghee, yet gives similiar flavour, aroma and colour, making it the best choice in these trying times.
An identical product, Flower Brand vanaspati produced by the same manufacturer, is widely used by Hindu communities overseas for lighting lamps and prayers, as it does not produce soot due to the low hydrogenation of palm oil.
In recent years, Cow Brand vanaspati has also been increasingly used for such purposes locally.
Merdeka Trading Corporation distributes Cow Brand vanaspati in Malaysia and Singapore.
Its principal, through various merger and acquisitions, has changed from Rotterdam Margarine Industrie BV to Smilde Foods BV.
Cow Brand vanaspati is manufactured and packed in The Netherlands in tins of net weight of 2lbs (907g), 5lbs (2.268kg) and 40lbs (18.144kg).
Its labeling is lithographed in both English and Bahasa Malaysia.
Other than Cow Brand vanaspati, Merdeka Trading Corporation also distributes Green Mountain pure butterghee manufactured by yet another world leader, Corman S.A. of Belgium.