Running head: oils and Fats 1

Oils and Fats

Kimberley Faraci

Kaplan University Online

Professor Larisa Wilson

NS 415-01 Food Science with Lab

May 23, 2017

oils and Fats 2

Oils and Fats

oils and Fats 3

Type of Fat Source Color Odor FlavorButter Made from

sweet creamPale yellow No odor Creamy, little

saltyShortening Soybean Oil,

Fully Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Palm Oil

White No odor Oily

Olive Oil Olive oil Green to golden Olive Light olive flavor to strong

Canola Oil Cultivars of rapeseed

Golden Oil odor Bland

Questions

A fat becomes rancid for a number of reasons; there is hydrolytic rancidity, oxidative

rancidity, and flavor reversion which is also a type of oxidative rancidity. Hydrolytic rancidity is

when the chemical bonds break down, when that happens water and hydrogen are added

(Bennion & Scheule, 2010). Hydrolytic rancidity happens to butter. Oxidative rancidity does

require oxygen but also can happen from exposure to light, heat, and metals such as iron and

copper (Bennion & Scheule, 2010). Flavor reversion is “involves a change in edible fats

characterized by the development of an objectionable flavor prior to the onset of true rancidity.

The kinds of off-flavors that develop during reversion vary with the particular fat and with the

conditions that cause the change” (Bennion & Scheule, 2010).

A fat that is high in saturated fatty acid content is more stable, “due to their molecular

structure, which is made up of a nice, even chains of single-bonded carbons. The straight lines

are able to stack together easily, allowing the saturated fat molecules to arrange in a denser, solid

structure” (Wu, 2014). Saturated means stable in essence.

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Prevention of rancidity in fat is not a challenge. Keep fats in a cool, dark place and make

sure to keep airtight. Do not store your oil above the stove, if you are going to keep olive oil out,

put it in a colored, airtight bottle.

An antioxidant is something that prevents oxidation. In essence, it inhibits aging. BHA

(butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), TBHQ (tertiary butyl

hydroquinone), and propyl gallate are all antioxidants that are used in commercially processed

fats and oil (Bennion & Scheule, 2010). Vitamin E is a natural antioxidant that is common in

vegetable oils (Bennion & Scheule, 2010).

A synergist is an agent that works with an antioxidant, but it cannot be used alone. Its

purpose in fat or oils is to prevent oxidation.

Lard comes in two forms; Lard is from fat rendered from the fatty tissues of a pig. Leaf

Lard is from fat from the rendered fatty tissues of the belly of the pig.

Butter is processed from sweet cream or sour cream. It is mostly fat, about 80% butterfat,

milk solids and water (18%). Margarine is “made from hydrogenated vegetable oils; liquid

vegetable oils; milk, buttermilk, or whey; and additives which provide desirable characteristics.

Other ingredients permitted in margarine by the federal standard of identity are vitamins A and D

for nutritive purposes; diacetyl as a flavor constituent; lecithin, monoglycerides, and/or

diglycerides of fat-forming fatty acids as emulsifying agents; artificial color; salt; citric acid or

certain citrates; and sodium benzoate, benzoic acid, or sorbic acid as a preservative to the extent

of 0.1 percent” (Bennion & Scheule, 2010). Why anyone would chose margarine over butter is

beyond me. I would choose something that had 1 (cream/milk) to 2 (salt) ingredients over

something that had an upwards of 20 ingredients any day.

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“RBD refers to an oil that has been refined, bleached, and deodorized” (Bennion &

Scheule, 2010). Refined; impurities have been removed, bleached; color that are not wanted are

removed, and deodorized; further purifying and removing any scents that are not wanted

(Bennion & Scheule, 2010).

Virgin olive oil has been obtained from the first press and has not been processed any

further (Bennion & Scheule, 2010). Light olive oil has been refined to give a lighter flavor; light

does not mean that it is lower in calories.

Olive oil has been used for thousands of years. It is a staple in the Mediterranean diet.

Both soybean oil and olive oil are a good source of healthy fats and are a source of omega-3 fatty

acids (Bennion & Scheule, 2010). Butter is high in saturated fats and therefore should be used

sparingly in your diet.

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References

Bennion, M. & Scheule, B. (2010). Introductory foods (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.:

Pearson.

Conforti, F. (2009). Food Selection and Preparation: A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.).

Wiley Global Research (STMS).

Wu, J. (2014). The Lipid Lowdown: Saturated, Unsaturated, and Trans Fats. The Palate.

Retrieved 23 May 2017, from https://uchicagopalate.wordpress.com/2014/05/29/the-

lipid-lowdown-saturated-unsaturated-and-trans-fats/