Food processing
Technology of fatty substances (oils and vegetable fats)

Because of their glyceride structure, oils and fats have specific melting characteristics: some oils, such as sunflower, rapeseed and soybean oils, are naturally liquid at room temperature –. Others, such as palm oil, are semi-solid. – others, such as palm oil, are semi-solid, while others, such as coconut oil, are completely solid.

Their use in food products (margarines, spreads, ready-cooked meals, etc.) may require "adaptation" of these rheological characteristics. Three operations, authorized by food regulations, enable manufacturers to transform defined fats for use in the formulation of these products.

These transformations are hydrogenation, fractionation and interesterification.