Edible oils and fats are lipid materials that are generally soluble in organic solvents but insoluble in water. While oils and fats are chemically similar in that both are composed of triglycerides, the distinction between them is that fats are solid at room temperature, while oils remain liquid.
Edible oils and fats including cooking oils are an essential part of everyday life and can be derived from animal, vegetable or even synthetic sources, and their consumption enables the fulfillment of both structural and metabolic functions in the body. They can be ingested directly or as components of prepared foods, to which they may lend flavor or texture. Edible oils and fats may find additional use in the production of soaps and other skin care products, candles, and perfumes.
When processing oils and fats, robust quality control is a must. METTLER TOLEDO supports you in the development of robust analytical techniques by providing innovative laboratory and industrial solutions to support various steps in the oils and fats value chain from testing the purity of raw materials to avoid adulteration, to final product testing to help ensure taste, shelf-life, and more.