Edible Oils, Fats, and Waxes

Hydrolysis reaction (saponifiable) contains ester group 

Saponification is a chemical process in which an ester is heated with aqueous alkali (sodium hydroxide) to form an alcohol and the sodium salt of the acid corresponding to the ester. The sodium salt formed is called soap. 

Fats and oils are esters of glycerol, the simplest triol (tri-alcohol), in which each of the three hydroxyl groups has been converted to an ester. The acid portion of the ester linkage (fatty acids) usually contains an even number of carbon atoms in an unbranched chain of 12 to 24 carbon atoms. The triesters of glycerol fats and oils are also known as triglycerides. 

The difference between fats and oils is merely one of melting point fats are solid at room temperature (20°C) whereas oils are liquids. Both classes of compounds are triglycerides. 

As glycerol is common to all fats and oils, whether animal or vegetable, it is the fatty acid part of the fat (oil) that is of interest. The differences among triglycerides (fats and oils) are because of the length of the hydrocarbon chains of the acids and the number of position of double bonds (unsaturation). 

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Chapter 4 presents the chemistry and technology of edible oil, fat, and wax processing including refining, recovery, crystallization, interesterification, and hydrogenation. The key oxidation reactions of lipids leading to quality deterioration of processed and unprocessed foods, and the mechanism of... 

Table 2.8 Suggested applications of dense gas extraction with CO2 in the production and fractionation of edible oils, fats and waxes...

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