Mesker Park Zoo wants people to check for palm oil in their candy

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden wants people to check the label before they buy their Valentine candy.

According to a spokesperson for the zoo, some well-known candy contains palm oil, which is one of the biggest factors for deforestation in some of the world’s most biodiverse forests. The zoo asks for people to avoid palm oil products or, alternatively, search if the palm oil has been sustainably sourced.

Zoo officials say there is an app that can help people check the sustainability of palm oil ingredients in both the product they are buying and the parent company that makes it.