Partially hydrogenated fats and oils

This unit describes the attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopic method (AOCS, 1999a AOAC International, 2000), a novel method for measuring the total amount of fat with isolated trans double bonds. It is applicable to natural fats (ruminant fats) and processed fats and oils (partially hydrogenated fats and oils or refined vegetable oils) consisting of long-chain fatty acid methyl esters or triacylglycerols with trans levels >5%, as percent of total fat (AOAC International, 2000). 

Earlier in this chapter, we focused on the role of hydrogenation in the pharmaceutical industry. However, the best known role of hydrogenation is in the food industry, where hydrogenation is used to prepare partially hydrogenated fats and oils. 

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