Lipids: Fats and Oils - Unit 4

Lipids: Fats and Oils – Unit 4
Lipids are fat soluble compounds e.g. fat, oils, phospholipids, and Vitamin D.
The difference between fats and oils is the physical state. A fat is solid at room temperature
whereas oil is liquid.
Chemical Composition
Fat is composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen. Fats can be classified as being saponifiable (able
to make soap) or non saponifiable. Saponifiable lipids can be further divided into simple and
compound liquids. Compound lipids are those that contain the compounds such as phosphorus,
nitrogen or sulphur. An example of a compound lipid is phospholipids. Simple lipids are fats,
oils and waxes. Nonsaponifiable lipids are cholesterol and vitamin D.
Fats may also be classified according to its degree of saturation of hydrogen atoms. If the
molecules cannot contain any more hydrogen atom the molecules in saturated. If it has less than
the theoretical number of hydrogen atom it is unsaturated. If the molecule has one double bond
it in monounsaturated if it has two or more double bonds it is polyunsaturated. The fat we
consume in foods is about 90% triglyceride. These are compounds formed from three fatty acids
and one molecule of glycerol. Glycerol is a water soluble alcohol with three carbon and three
hydroxyl – OH groups. Fatty acids are chains of carbons with an organic acid at the end.
Use of fat in cookery: satiety and flavor, heat transfer, for shortening, emulsion, glaze,
adhesiveness, reheating, color, clean-up, aroma
Chemical Reaction
Saponification is the production of soap from the reaction of a fat or oil with a aqueous solution
of sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide forms solid soap while
potassium hydroxide forms liquid soap. The emulsifying property of soap is due to the fact that
it has a hydrophobic and hydrophilic end.
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Hydrolysis
This is the splitting of a bond by the addition of water. This splitting breaks down triglycerides
into its constituence: Glycerol and fatty acid. Hydrolysis is also catalyzed by lipase which is an
enzyme naturally found in food such as butter and nuts. This hydrolysis results in the
accumulation of free fatty acids which contributes to development of hydrolytic rancidity. Also
catalyzed by heat.
Formation of Aerolein
Once hydrolysis has broken down the triglycerides to glycerol and free fatty acid continue
heating will further break down the free glycerol to aerolein. This compound is volatile it
irritates the eye, darkens the fat cause foaming and strong flavor.
Hydrogenation
This is the process by which hydrogen atoms are added to the double bonds present in saturated
fatty acids. Hydrogenation is used to make margarine and shortening from veg. and animal fats
and oils.
Oxidative Rancidity
This occurs when the oxygen in the air reacts with the double bonds to form free radicals and
shorter fatty acids. These have a rancid odor.
Antioxidants
These are substances added to fats and oils and food containing them to prevent oxidation in one
of two ways. They may hydrolyze themselves and donate their hydrogen to the fat or they may
bind the catalytic factors.
Smoke point: The temperature at which a fat begins to smoke. A suitable fat for frying is one
that has a fairly high smoke point. This is very important to deep fat frying because the
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temperature reached is higher than in pan frying. The highest temperature required to cook any
food is close to 390ºF therefore any fat used for frying should have a smoke point above that.
Production of Fat
Rendering is the process through which lard is extracted from pigs and tallow from sheep and
cattle. There are three types of rendering: steam, dry and low temperature
Steam rendering: In this method fat is heated in a vacuum to prevent contact with oxygen.
Low temperature: In this method meat scraps are heated just enough to melt the fat. This
process produces a fat that is lighter in color and does not contain much meat flavor.
In the production of oil from plant source, the seeds are crushed or cracked and oil is removed by
mechanical presses or expellers after they have been heated to melt fat and partially breakdown
cell walls. Color is extracted by percolating a solvent through the cracked seeds. Contaminants
such as protein, veg, gum and phospholipids are coagulated and filtered.
Refining: This is the process impurities are removed from oil. Refining that results in oil that is
99.5% pure, consist of five steps
 Degumming
 Neutralizing
 Washing/ drying
 Bleaching
 Deodorizing
Winterizing: In this process the oil is chilled to 40-50ºF (5-7ºC) and the solids for are removed
by filtration: corn, oil, soybean, cotton seed are winterized olive oil is hot.
De waxing: removing cloudy constituents
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Emulsions: An emulsion is a dispension of one liquid in another when liquids are immiscible or
ordinarily do not mix. An emulsifying agent has one part of its molecule soluble in water (polar)
and the other part soluble in oil (non-polar). There are three types of emulsion which differ in
their viscosity and stability.
 Temporary emulsions are the least viscose and stable. They separate when left to stand
this process is called creaming. These emulsions must be shaken each time they are used.
 Semi permanent emulsions are those to which a stabilizer has been added to decrease the
tendency to cream eg. Commercial French and Italian dressing.
 Permanent are very stable and viscose and stable to the point that they do not separate.

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Lipids: Fats and Oils – Unit 4

whereas oil is liquid.

oils and waxes. Nonsaponifiable lipids are cholesterol and vitamin D.

it in monounsaturated if it has two or more double bonds it is polyunsaturated. The fat we

adhesiveness, reheating, color, clean-up, aroma

it has a hydrophobic and hydrophilic end.

shorter fatty acids. These have a rancid odor.

bind the catalytic factors.

99.5% pure, consist of five steps

De waxing: removing cloudy constituents

their viscosity and stability.

tendency to cream eg. Commercial French and Italian dressing.

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