Chairman of Industrial Technology Institute - Dr. Sirimal Premakumara had recently noted that palm oil which are sold in the market under the guise of vegetable oil, contain components that are linked to heart disease.

Tests done by the Industrial Technology Institute had found that several samples of such oil contain elements unhealthy to the human body.

As the institute is not vested with powers to take legal action on this regard, we informed the Consumer Affairs Authority, he added.

Such oils sold as vegetable oil contain higher levels of trans fatty acid levels which is not present in natural palm oil, he said.

Therefore, it could be that such oils sold as 'vegetable oil' are actually oil stocks that have been discarded from hotels abroad, before they are purified, brought to Sri Lanka and sold under various brands, he said.