Yo Aussie vegans. The implication is pretty clear :(

I've sent them an email to ask for clarity and will update with their response.

Having a read of the food labeling standards (https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/food-standards-code/legislation) 1.2.2, 2.4, and schedule 10-2 any edible oil is only required to be identified as follows:

(a) The statement of ingredients must declare:

(i) whether the source is animal or vegetable; and

if the food is a dairy product, including ice cream—the specific source of animal fats or oils.

(b) This generic name must not be used for >diacylglycerol oil.

As such it turns out anything labelled as vegetable oil could contain palm oil, which is relatively likely given it's ~36% of global oil trade and the number 1 producer. https://ourworldindata.org/palm-oil

So I recommend that unless you have specific knowledge, if anything has a thick texture at room temp and claims not to be hydrogenated you should assume it is palm oil. Especially if it's quite low in saturated and polyunsaturated fats which is a bit of a coconut oil tell.

RIP to a delicious one.

• A former sinner

nutlex response:

Thank you for contacting us here at Nuttelex and sorry for the late reply as we have been experiencing a glitch with our website.

As a family-owned business, we value your interest in our products.

The main ingredient in our Nuttelex products is premium GMO-free plant oils and depending on the variant (as denoted by the packaging) that can include a combination of Sunflower, Canola, Coconut, and Certified Sustainable Palm Oil.

To manufacture our product the basic steps are as follows: The pure plant oils are warmed to around 40 degrees Celsius, then mixed together with brine (a water and salt mixture) and a very small amount of vitamins, natural flavour and vegetable oil based emulsifier. The total mixture is then rapidly cooled and packed into the tubs that you buy at the supermarket.

With 70% less saturated fat than butter and 50% less salt than regular spreads we work very hard to maintain the integrity of our products and we do pay more for ingredients to ensure we produce a premium product.

There are only a few oils that can be used to make our spreads. Oils like Olive, Coconut and Avocado cannot be used in very high quantities without the addition of binding agents, preservatives, and additives — and we choose not to use these types of ingredients at Nuttelex.

So instead, each Nuttelex variant uses a different combination of GM free vegetable oils, as reflected in the name or image on the product.

In Nuttelex Buttery, the oils used are GM free Australian Canola Oil and certified sustainable palm fruit oil.

In Nuttelex Olive, for example, the oils used are Australian GM Olive Oil, Australian GM free Canola Oil (which adds to the texture & taste) and certified sustainable palm fruit oil (to make the product spreadable). Without the addition of these two ingredients, our spread would remain a liquid as we do not use saturated animal fats, milk solids, soy solids or anything artificial. As we make this blend up ourselves, in line with labelling regulations we must declare it as “vegetable oil” on the label. Unfortunately, we cannot share the oil percentages as it is priority company information as that would reveal our recipe.

In Nuttelex Original, the oils used are GM free Sunflower oil, Australian Canola Oil (which adds to the texture & taste) and certified

sustainable palm fruit oil (to make the product spreadable).

Although we keep up to date with advances in food technology, as yet there are no other oils that we are aware of that will meet our special needs: virtually trans-fat free, GM free, vegan, and free from a wide variety of allergens including gluten, corn, soy, wheat, nut oils and dairy.

Food technology is not perhaps as advanced as you may think, and to make a natural table spread there are not many oils that can be used. As Nuttelex is not only allergy friendly but free of preservatives and additives. Olive oil too can only be used up to 24% (and that goes for every Olive spread in the market) or the spread will not set, while other oils such as coconut are unstable on their own and do not mix with other oils unless extra processing and additives are used. However, when food technology catches up to enable us to use different oils, greater quantities, without having to also use additives, preservatives, or other processes we deem undesirable, you can be assured Nuttelex will be there to deliver it.

At Nuttelex we know where our ingredients are grown, how they are processed, and we stand by their purity and nutritional value. We have built our business on continually pushing the envelope of what is possible when it comes to creating healthy plant-based foods.

Nuttelex strongly supports sustainable farming and preventing damaging practices. We purchase our vegetable oils from only Australian Members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). And we are also Members of the RSPO as it is the growers and manufacturers who together need to make a sustainable future by certifying that members commit to certain standards of production. (We are registered on the RSPO website where you can see our certificates of what we purchase). We also pay a premium for our sustainable palm oil because we believe that is the responsible approach.

The Healthy Alternative is not just a slogan – it’s been part of our DNA at Nuttelex since our early beginnings. From refusing to add bright colouring to our products in the 1930s (an act of the dairy lobby to distinguish it from butter) to pioneering the use of vitamins in the 1940s, at Nuttelex we have always welcomed new possibilities. Continuing this tradition with the first salt-reduced, cholesterol-free & dairy-free alternative to be sold nationally in the 80’s, to removing all GM ingredients from our spreads in the noughties and more recently, with the introduction of the very first Australian-made palm oil-free spread - Nuttelex Zero.

Hope this information is of help,