The oil palm was scientifically described and illustrated by Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin in 1763. The oil palm likely arrived in South America through slave transport. It reached Asia in the early 19th century, initially as an ornamental plant in botanical gardens: in 1848, two palms each were brought from the botanical garden of Amsterdam and Réunion to Bogor (Indonesia). From there, specimens made their way to Singapore and later from these two locations to Deli on Sumatra. After industrial processing of the oil became possible, large plantations were established starting around 1900: in West Africa from 1908, in Indonesia from 1911, and in Malaysia from 1919. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are largely used in the food sector. Palm oil, due to its excellent heat and oxidation stability, is primarily used as a cooking, frying, and deep-frying fat in Asia and Africa.