Republic of the Philippines

Sorsogon State College

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
Office of Extension Services
Sorsogon City
Topic: Fats and Oils Properties of Fat Rancidity of Fat
Discussant: Kimberly F. Geva
Subject: Experimental cooking
Term: Summer Class 2017
Professor: Dr. Fely Habla

______________________________________________________________________________

FATS AND OIL

Fats belong to the general classification of lipids. Fats are characterized by their appearance and, greasy feel and
its inability to mix with water but soluble in organic solvent such as acetone, chloroform, and benzene. The
distinction between fats and oils in arbitrary, oils being liquid at ordinary conditions while fats are solid.
Saturated fatty acids, those with no double bonds in the carbon chain, are found chiefly in fats from animal
sources such as butter. Lard, and beef tallow, but some plant oil, notably coconut oil and palm kernel oil, are made
up of the saturated fatty acids, lauric acid and myristic acid.
Monounsaturated fatty acids (one carbon with a double bond) are found in vegetable oil such as canola, olive and
peanut oils. Polyunsaturated fatty acids have more than one double bond and are found in such vegetable oil
such as corn, canola, cottonseed and soybean. Tran’s fatty acid are formed as by products when vegetable oils are
hydrogenated. They are also naturally present in some animal fats.

Classification of Fats and Oils

Fats and oils may be classified into categories, according to appearance, sources or function.

Classification by Appearance

Visible fats are those that are visually distinctive such as butter, beef tallow, coconut oil etc. While invisible fat are
those that are indistinguishable unless separated by chemical means. Examples are fat in avocado, egg yolk, and
lean meats. Invisible fats are nutritionally significant but not for culinary use.

Classification by Source

Fats and oils may be classified according to plant or animal source.

Animal Fats: The animal fats are:

Butter, which derived from milk.
Lard, rendered from fatty tissues of pork.
Beef Tallow, rendered from fatty tissues of beef.
Fish oils, derived from fatty tissues of fish.
Fish liver oils, derived from fish liver.

Plant oil: The plants oils are:

Coconut oil from coconuts.

Palm kernel oil, from kernel of palms.
Palm oil, from the fruit of palm tree.
Soybean oil from the soybean kernel.
Rice bran oil, from rice bran.
Cottonseed oil, from the seed of the cotton plant.
Olive oil, from the fruit of olive tree
Peanut oil, from the fruit of tree peanut kernel
Safflower oil, from the seed of the safflower plant.
Sesame oil, from sesame seed
Rapeseed oil, from the seed of rape plant.
Classification by Culinary Use
 Frying oil
Shortening
Spread
Salad dressing
Topping
Flavoring
Nutritional supplement

Nutritional Importance

Fats and oil are concentrated sources of energy, yielding 9 calories per gram against only 4 calories per gram for
carbohydrates and proteins. Although fats are essential to the body, nutritional guidelines recommend that
calories from fat should not exceed 30 % of total caloric requirement. Excess of fats is responsible for obesity.

1. Chemical Composition of Fats and oils

 Triglycerides are glycerol esters of free fatty acids wherein all 3 carbons in the glycerol backbone are attached to a
fatty acid.
 Diglycerides and Monoglycerides
When only one of the 3 carbon of glycerol molecules is esterified with a fatty acid, a monoglyderide is produced;
and when 2 of the 3 carbon are esterified, we have a diglyceride.
 Phospholipids
Phospholipids is a combination of a lipid and a phosphate group.
 Vitamins and Minerals
The fat soluble vitamins are vitamin A, D, E, K.

Vitamin Content of Common Food Fats and Oils

Vitamin Mineral
Lipid E(mg) K(mcg) Na(mg) Fe(mg) Phyto
 Coconut 0.09 0.05 85
 Mixture of corn, 14.78 21.0 207
peanut, and olive
 Palm oil 15.94 8.0 0.01 92
 Olive 14.35 60.2 3.0
 Soybean 9.21 197.6
 Canola 17.1 122.0 971

2. Physical Properties of Fats and Oil

 Physical Structure
The physical structure or chemical configuration of fats and oils determine its properties and reaction. Solid fats is
composed of crystal structures of straight chain fatty acids suspended in oil.
 Solid Fat Index
The proportion of fat in crystalline form to the suspending oil is express as solid fat index (SFI). More solid will
result in high SFI.
 Polymorphism
Crystal may be fine or coarse depending on the variety of molecular species and on processing conditions. If three
are less molecular species, crystal will be unstable and larger crystal will form whereas if there are more molecular
species the resulting crystal will be smaller. This behavior is called polymorphism.
 Plasticity
Plasticity is property of fat that allows it to be molded or pressed into various shapes without breaking. This
property is possible because of the presence of both solid and liquid fat.
 Melting Point
Melting point is the temperature at which a solid fats is change to liquid. This property is unique for each type of
fat/oil.
 Solidification Temperature
Solidification temperature is temperature range when a liquid fat is changed to solid. It is always lower than the
melting point.
 Solubility
 Natural fats are insoluble in water, slightly soluble in lower alcohol and readily soluble in non- polar solvent such
as chloroform, either petroleum either, benzene and carbon tetrachloride.
 Density/ Specific Gravity
In a mixture of water and oil, oil floats to the surface. This is because oil is lighter than water. Oil/fats has a density
(weight/volume) of between 0.90 to 0.92 grams per cubic centimeter.
 Refractive Index
Refractive index is a measure of ability of a substance (usually a crystal) to bend light as it passes through it.
Generally the clearer the substance, the smaller its refractive index as compared to a cloudy substance and that of
water.
 Surfactant Properties
Free fatty acids, mono and diglycerides have the ability to bridge water and oil molecules. This ability is a
surfactant property and is a useful value in emulsification.
 Thermal Stability
This property refers to the ability of a fats/oil to withstand heat without undergoing deterioration. This is
manifested by such values as smoke point, flash point and fire point. In cooking, these value is important because
the cooking temperature for frying is limited by the smoke point of the fat/oil.
 Smoke Point
Smoke point is the temperature at which fat deterioration is sufficient to produce bluish smoke. Smoke points are
much higher than the boiling point.

Changes in Fat during Heating

There are 4 ways by which oils decompose. All of these cause lowering of the smoke point.
1. Pyrolysis (thermal breakdown). Heating the oil causes molecular breakdown with or without contact with food.
2. Oxidation. The combination of heat and oxygen at the surface causes molecular breakdown at the point of
unsaturation and ultimately development of rancidity.
3. Hydrolysis. The water reacts with oil and splits the ester bridge between fatty acids and glycerol.
Reaction with food residue. Residue from the food being fried reacts with fat and contributes to deterioration.

Animal Fats

o Butter is the fat or cream that is separated from other milk constituents by agitation or churning. Butter formation
illustrates the breaking water-in-oil.
o Lard. To make lard, fatty tissues of the hog are chopped into small pieces and heated with or without water. Wet
rendering is more common. In industrial manufacture, the rendered lard is further treated by bleaching,
deodorization, addition of emulsifier and antioxidants.
In the Philippines, lard is a by- product of chicharon making. The chicharon is fried as the lard is being rendered.
Lard is utilized mostly as a flavoring ingredients or as a flavor carrier especially for the very popular instant
noodles.
o Tallow. Beef tallow is dry rendered from fatty tissue of beef. It is used as an additive to various frying oil. Many
consumer prefer the flavor of tallow in fried food.
o Fish oil. Fish oil are interest nutrionally because of their omega fatty acids.

Plant Fats
o Vegetable oil. Oilseed are the major sources of oil from plants. Certain fruit such as olives and coconut are
commercially sources of oil. Seeds such as cottonseed, soybean, and peanut are cleaned , tempered, dehulled by
solvent extraction or pressure application or a combination of both. Vegetable oil are removed from oil containing
seed fruits or nuts by various pressing, processed by solvent extraction and by combination of these.
o Olive oil is the oil obtained by pressing the ripened olives. It is graded according to acidity. Extra virgin olive oil is
the product of the first cold pressing. It is pale straw to green with acidity of not more than 1%. Virgin olive oil has
2% acidity and pale yellow to medium color. Olive oil light result from the last pressing and has an acidity of up to
3%. Olive oil pure has undergone a refining process, and has an acidity of up to 3%.
o Cottonseed oil is usually winterized. Winterization is a process which subjects the oil to a low temperature where
higher melting point glycerides are crystallized then filtered off. The remaining oil can withstand refrigeration
temperatures without solidifying.
o Soybean oil is the major edible oil in the U.S.A. Currently available soybean oil comes from selective breeding and/
or biotechnology to reduce the linolenic acid content which makes it susceptible to oxidative rancidity.
o Corn oil is obtained from the germ of the corn endosperm. It is almost flavorless and high in polyunsaturated fat
mostly linoleic (55%0 and oleic (29%). It is used as frying oil, salad oil, made into shortening and mayonnaise.
o Canola oil is obtained from genetically modified rapeseed. Rapeseed is a member of mustard family.
o Vegetable shortening. Shortening is made by hydrogenation of refined oil. When the desired degree of
hydrogenation is achieved, optional ingredients such as preservatives, mono- and and diglycerides are added then
rapidly chilled without agitation to 16- 18% to promote development of nuclei for crystallization.
o Margarine. Margarine was developed as a substitute for the more expensive butter. It is prepared from a mixture
of vegetables oil that is hydrogenated to a desired extent.
o Coconut oil. The bulk of coconut oil commercially available is extracted from dried coconut meat called copra.

Attribution of Fats in Several Categories of Food

Baked Goods Salad Dressings Dairy Products Meats

 Flavor  Flavor, saltiness  Flavor, saltiness, acidity  Flavor
 Viscosity/ Body  Viscosity/body  Viscosity/body  Mouthfeel
 Richness  Yield stress  Yield stress  Juiciness
 Texture/ grain  Egg flavor  Egg flavor  Firmness
 Aeration  Graininess  Graininess  Satiety
 Shortness  Smoothness  Smoothness  Handling
 Tenderness  Aeration  Aeration  Emulsion
 Leavening  Mouthfeel  Mouthfeel  Heat transfer
 Lubricity  Emulsion  Emulsion
 Dough  Spreadability  Spreadability
 Handling  Surface appearance  Surface appearance
 Batter stability
Frozen Dessert Frosting and Filling Sauces, Gravies and Soups
 Flavor  Flavor  Flavor, saltiness
 Viscosity/ Body  Viscosity/ Body  Mouthfeel
 Mouthfeel  Mouthfeel  Satiety
 Creaminess  Creaminess
 Melt  Melt
 Surface appearance  Aeration
 Overrun  Spread
 Shrinkage  Emulsion

References: Basic Foods for Filipinos Fourth Edition Textbook