Oils and Fats

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Oils and Fats

5.1

Oils and Fats

Definition of Oils and Fats

Esters produced through the reaction between fatty acids and glycerol (propan-1,2,3-triol).

The Difference between Oils and Fats

Oils and fats are parts of the dietary requirements for humans that are responsible for supplying energy, providing body temperature insulation and helping with the absorption of important vitamins.
At room temperature, fats normally exist in a solid form.
Fats in liquid form are known as oils.
Fats are usually found in:
- Meat and butter
Various types of oils can be obtained from plants, such as:
- Palm oil, soybean oil and coconut oil.
Fatty acids have very long carbon chains.
The characteristics of oils or fats rely on the types of fatty acids involved in the esterification reactions with glycerol.
Examples of fatty acids are palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid.

Example of An Esterification Reaction between Fatty Acids with Glycerol to form Fat

The reaction between one glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules forms one fat molecule.
\(R_1\), \(R_2\) and \(R_3\) represent the parts of hydrocarbon chains in fatty acids and fats.
\(R_1\), \(R_2\) and \(R_3\) can either be identical or different as shown below:

The diagram shows the example of an esterification reaction between fatty acids with glycerol to form fat.

Sources of Fatd

From animal:
- Meat
- Milk
- Egg

Sources of Oils

From Plants

Soy bean
Corn
Nuts

From Seeds

Mustard seeds
Sesame seed
Sunflower seeds

From the Fruit Filling

Olive
Palm fruit

Difference between Oils and Fats
Aspect	Oils	Fats
Source	From plants	From animals
Physical state at room temperature	Liquid	Solid or semi-solid
Melting point	Less than 20℃	More than 20℃
Content of fatty acids	High percentage of unsaturated fatty acids	High percentage of saturated fatty acids
Example	Palm oil	Butter

Saturated Fats and Unsaturated Fats

Saturated fats contain saturated fatty acids, and unsaturated fats contain unsaturated fatty acids.
Unsaturated fatty acids have at least one double bond in the carbon chain; whereas saturated fatty acids only have a single covalent bond in the carbon chain.
The presence of double bonds causes unsaturated fats to have low melting points and exist as liquids.

Saturation	Fatty Acids	Structural Formula
Saturated	Stearic acid
Saturated	Palmitic acid
Unsaturated	Oleic acid
Unsaturated	Linoleic acid

Unsaturated Fats

Made from the reaction of saturated fatty acids with glycerol.

Unsaturated Fats	Fatty Acids	Structural Formula
Tristearin or glyceryl tristearate	Stearic acid
Tripalmitin or glyceryl tripalmitate	Palmitic acid

Unsaturated Fats

Made from the reaction of unsaturated fatty acids with glycerol.
Divided into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids	Fat	Fatty Acids	Structural Formula
Monounsaturated fats	Triolein or glyceryl trioleate	Oleic acid
Polyunsaturated fats	Trilinolein or glyceryl trilinoleate	Linoleic acid

Effect of Excessive Fats toward Health

Excessive fat is dangerous.
A high correlation between a diet rich in saturated fats with cardiovascular diseases.
- Increasing cholesterol level in the body.
- Cholesterol can make blood vessel harder and narrower.
- Formation of plague and blocking blood flow.
- High blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Oils and Fats

5.1

Oils and Fats

Definition of Oils and Fats

Esters produced through the reaction between fatty acids and glycerol (propan-1,2,3-triol).

The Difference between Oils and Fats

Oils and fats are parts of the dietary requirements for humans that are responsible for supplying energy, providing body temperature insulation and helping with the absorption of important vitamins.
At room temperature, fats normally exist in a solid form.
Fats in liquid form are known as oils.
Fats are usually found in:
- Meat and butter
Various types of oils can be obtained from plants, such as:
- Palm oil, soybean oil and coconut oil.
Fatty acids have very long carbon chains.
The characteristics of oils or fats rely on the types of fatty acids involved in the esterification reactions with glycerol.
Examples of fatty acids are palmitic acid, stearic acid and linoleic acid.

Example of An Esterification Reaction between Fatty Acids with Glycerol to form Fat

The reaction between one glycerol molecule and three fatty acid molecules forms one fat molecule.
\(R_1\), \(R_2\) and \(R_3\) represent the parts of hydrocarbon chains in fatty acids and fats.
\(R_1\), \(R_2\) and \(R_3\) can either be identical or different as shown below:

The diagram shows the example of an esterification reaction between fatty acids with glycerol to form fat.

Sources of Fatd

From animal:
- Meat
- Milk
- Egg

Sources of Oils

From Plants

Soy bean
Corn
Nuts

From Seeds

Mustard seeds
Sesame seed
Sunflower seeds

From the Fruit Filling

Olive
Palm fruit

Difference between Oils and Fats
Aspect	Oils	Fats
Source	From plants	From animals
Physical state at room temperature	Liquid	Solid or semi-solid
Melting point	Less than 20℃	More than 20℃
Content of fatty acids	High percentage of unsaturated fatty acids	High percentage of saturated fatty acids
Example	Palm oil	Butter

Saturated Fats and Unsaturated Fats

Saturated fats contain saturated fatty acids, and unsaturated fats contain unsaturated fatty acids.
Unsaturated fatty acids have at least one double bond in the carbon chain; whereas saturated fatty acids only have a single covalent bond in the carbon chain.
The presence of double bonds causes unsaturated fats to have low melting points and exist as liquids.

Saturation	Fatty Acids	Structural Formula
Saturated	Stearic acid
Saturated	Palmitic acid
Unsaturated	Oleic acid
Unsaturated	Linoleic acid

Unsaturated Fats

Made from the reaction of saturated fatty acids with glycerol.

Unsaturated Fats	Fatty Acids	Structural Formula
Tristearin or glyceryl tristearate	Stearic acid
Tripalmitin or glyceryl tripalmitate	Palmitic acid

Unsaturated Fats

Made from the reaction of unsaturated fatty acids with glycerol.
Divided into monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids	Fat	Fatty Acids	Structural Formula
Monounsaturated fats	Triolein or glyceryl trioleate	Oleic acid
Polyunsaturated fats	Trilinolein or glyceryl trilinoleate	Linoleic acid

Effect of Excessive Fats toward Health

Excessive fat is dangerous.
A high correlation between a diet rich in saturated fats with cardiovascular diseases.
- Increasing cholesterol level in the body.
- Cholesterol can make blood vessel harder and narrower.
- Formation of plague and blocking blood flow.
- High blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.

Oils and Fats

Oils and Fats

Chapter : Consumers and Industrial Chemistry

Topic : Oils and Fats

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