REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Italy is supporting Indonesia's bid to use palm oil as one of the biofuels in the European Union (EU) market, Indonesian Ambassador to Italy Esti Andayani said. According to her, Italy has always supported Indonesia, either in the WTO (World Trade Organization), the European Union or the European Parliament.

The Italian government is supporting the use of palm oil in the EU region, because the country uses palm oil for its products. Italian companies use palm oil in its food products and cosmetics.

"When I met with the president of Ferrero Rocher, he told me that their chocolate and Nutela products used palm oil. Palm oil has longer shelf life than other (vegetable) oils. It does not turn sour easily, thus ensuring the products using it last longer," she said on Tuesday.

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