Chapter I: Preface

The importance of a due proportion of fat in the diet of man is insisted on by all physiologists, and the variety of forms in which fat enters into human food is very considerable. Formerly butter, lard, and dripping were the principal fats consumed as food, but the introduction of margarine by M. Mège-Mouries in 1872, followed, in more recent years, by the discovery of large quantities of new vegetable fats and oils, and of greatly improved processes for their preparation, purification, and refinement, has much augmented and cheapened the supply of fat for human consumption.

The popular prejudice against artificial butters has now been largely dissipated, and the edible fat and oil industry has become an important one.

The aim of the present volume is to describe, in a concise manner, the properties of the different edible fats and oils and their combinations, and to give an outline of the modern processes used in their preparation and purification.

Unfortunately the discoveries of science in this, as in other branches of technical chemistry, have led to the practice of a considerable amount of very skilful adulteration, and it is hoped that the somewhat lengthy chapter on the analysis of edible food products will be useful to those engaged in the industry in enabling such adulteration to be detected and successfully combated.

W. H. S.
C. A. M.
LONDON, _April 1911_.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I PAGE
INTRODUCTION 1
Fat as Food—Physiological Considerations—Constitution
of Fats and Oils.

CHAPTER II
RAW MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF EDIBLE FATS
AND OILS 14

CHAPTER III
REFINING, BLEACHING, AND DEODORISING FATS AND OILS 23
Physical Methods—Washing, freezing, filtration,
treatment with charcoal and fuller’s earth, steaming.
Chemical methods—Caustic soda, sodium carbonate and
silicate, alkaline earths, ozone, hydrosulphites,
sodium bisulphite, organic peroxides.

CHAPTER IV
BUTTER 39

CHAPTER V
LARD 56

CHAPTER VI
MARGARINE AND OTHER BUTTER SUBSTITUTES 65
Margarine, Oleomargarine, or Artificial
Butter—Invention and Development—Modern Processes
and Formulæ—Vegetable Butter.

CHAPTER VII
SALAD OILS 74

Salad Oils—Oils used for Culinary and Confectionery
Purposes—Chocolate Fats.

CHAPTER VIII
ANALYSIS OF RAW MATERIALS AND FINISHED PRODUCTS 89
General Methods of Analysis of Fats and Oils—Special
Tests for Individual Oils—Analysis of Butter,
Margarine, Lard, Cheese, Chocolate.

CHAPTER IX
STATISTICS OF THE TRADE IN EDIBLE OILS 137

INDEX 145

EDIBLE FATS AND OILS