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Fat Characterization

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Food Analysis

Part of the book series: Food Science Text Series ((FSTS))

Abstract

The importance of fat characterization is evident in many aspects of the food industry, including ingredient technology, product development, quality assurance, product shelf life, and regulatory aspects. Also, lipids are closely associated with health, requiring analysis for specific lipids of interest. The methods described in this chapter are used to characterize bulk oils and fats and the lipids in foodstuffs. Methods described for bulk oils and fats are used to determine characteristics such as melting point; smoke, flash, and fire points; color; degree of unsaturation; average fatty acid chain length; and amount of polar components. The peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and hexanal tests can be used to measure the present status of a lipid with regard to oxidation, while the oil stability index (OSI) can be used to predict the susceptibility of a lipid to oxidation and the effectiveness of antioxidants. Lipid fractions, including fatty acids, triacylglycerols, phospholipids, and cholesterol, are commonly analyzed by chromatographic techniques such as gas chromatography (GC) and thin layer chromatography (TLC).

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Change history

  • 23 July 2019

    An error in the production process unfortunately led to publication of the book before incorporating the below corrections. This has now been corrected and approved by the Editor.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA

    Oscar A. Pike

  2. Department of Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA

    Sean O’Keefe

Authors
  1. Oscar A. Pike
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  2. Sean O’Keefe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oscar A. Pike .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    S. Suzanne Nielsen

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© 2017 Springer International Publishing

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Pike, O.A., O’Keefe, S. (2017). Fat Characterization. In: Nielsen, S.S. (eds) Food Analysis. Food Science Text Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45776-5_23

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