It is well known that a considerable amount of biodiesel is
produced from edible oils[1]. However, the extensive use of edible
oils might lead to some negative impacts such as starvation and
higher food prices in developing countries[2]. For instance, in
Malaysia the biodiesel refineries have created shortages in palm
oil. Therefore the price of palm oil for cooking has risen by 70%[3].
The rising food prices may be beneficial to the poor farm
producers but at the same time they are unlikely to benefit the
urban poor[4]. Some researchers have pointed out that developing
the technology to convert cellulosic materials into biofuels will
significantly reduce food shortage problems[5]. In addition to this,
the waste edible oil may be made primary feedstock and the fresh
edible and non-edible oils should be made supplement feedstocks.
This may reduce the food shortages significantly [6]. However,
many of the researchers agree that non-edible oils are the suitable
alternative to edible oils for biodiesel production. Hence, the
recent focus is to find non-edible oil feedstocks for biodiesel
production[7].
Many of the reviewing papers have tried to report the necessity
and feasibility of non-edible oils for biodiesel production. A lot of
work is being carried out on biodiesel production from Jatropha oil
in countries like India, Malaysia and Indonesia [8–12].
However, recent trends and technologies for the production of
biodiesel from non-edible oils and the impact of price rise of the
food commodities due to the consumption of edible oils for
biodiesel have not yet attracted the attention they deserve.
The aim of this paper is to emphasize the effects of food
shortages due to the consumption of edible oils and to present the
different potentials of non-edible feedstocks for biodiesel production. Special attention has been paid to established processes and
considerations for emerging technologies of potential interests