Tag: Lipid science

Glycolipids are among the most abundant lipids in nature, characterized by a unique structure combining a carbohydrate and a lipid. In food, they can be naturally occurring components or added for their functional properties, such as acting as emulsifiers and stabilizers. Understanding their role offers insight into both natural nutrition and food manufacturing processes.

Vegetable fats and oils are triglycerides extracted from various plant sources, but what is vegetable fat called when it's sold at the store? The term depends on its physical state at room temperature: liquid versions are 'vegetable oils,' while solid or semi-solid versions are often labeled as 'vegetable fat,' 'vegetable shortening,' or used in products like margarine.

According to the American Heart Association, saturated fats are often referred to as “solid fats” because of their physical state at room temperature. This solid form is not a coincidence but is a direct result of their unique chemical structure, which allows their molecules to pack together tightly.

Triacylglycerols can be either solid or liquid at room temperature, a characteristic that defines them as fats or oils. The specific physical state of a triacylglycerol hinges on its molecular structure and the composition of its fatty acid chains.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the common name for the saturated fatty acid C22:0 is behenic acid, while its systematic name is docosanoic acid. This long-chain fatty acid has a variety of applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Most people know that oil is a type of fat, but few understand its full chemical composition. All crude vegetable and animal oils inherently contain phospholipids, which are critical components of the biological tissues they come from. However, the refining process for edible oils dramatically alters this content, removing the vast majority of these compounds.