YURONG, BERNADETTE B.

BSND-1A

Assignment in Fats and Oils

1.Define emulsion, Discuss the three parts of emulsion and the different types of emulsion.
What is the difference between water-in-oil emulsion and oil-in-water emulsion?
-All foods contain some amount of liquid, and if fats or oils are present, then the combination
results in some type of emulsion. a fine dispersion of minute droplets of one liquid in
another in which it is not soluble or miscible.
-There are three parts to an emulsion: The dispersed or discontinuous phase, which is
usually oil. The dispersion or continuous phase, which is most likely water-based. An
emulsifier, which is a stabilizing compound that helps keep one phase dispersed in the
other.
- There are two types of lipid emulsions: Oil-in-water, in which oil droplets are dispersed
throughout the water. Most food emulsions are of the first type—oil-in-water. Examples
of such natural emulsions include milk, cream, and egg yolks. The second type is
Water-in-oil, in which water droplets are dispersed throughout the oil. Emulsions can be
quite viscous and thick, or more liquid and less stable. Examples of prepared foods that
are emulsions (oil-in-water) include mayonnaise, salad dressings, cheese sauces,
gravies, puddings, and cream soups. The less common water-in-oil emulsion, in which
the smaller amount of water is dispersed in the fat, is found in foods such as butter and
margarine.
2. What is the importance of fat's plasticity in food preparation?
- The plasticity of fat is its ability to hold its shape but still be molded or shaped under light
pressure. Plasticity determines a fat’s spreadability. It is an important characteristic in the
preparation of confections, icings, pastries, and other baked products. Although most fats look
solid at room temperature, they are actually composed of liquid oil with a network of solid fat
crystals holding it in place. This combination allows the fat to be molded into various shapes.
Chilled butter has very little plasticity as compared to hydrogenated vegetable oil, or
shortening. The more unsaturated a fat is, the more plastic it will be. Temperature also
influences plasticity. For example, hard fats such as butter become soft and more spreadable
when warmed.
3. Define rancidity. What is the difference between hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity?
- Rancidity is the chemical deterioration of fats, which occurs when the triglyceride molecule
and/or the fatty acids attached to the glycerol molecule are broken down into smaller units that
yield off-flavors and rancid odors. The longer a fat is stored, the greater the possibility of its
becoming rancid. Fats and oils used in cooking tend to become rancid because they are
exposed to oxygen, heat, and light. For this reason, they should be checked frequently for
rancidity. Rancid fats should be discarded because they will adversely affect flavor if used to
make cakes, cookies, or other baked goods. Rancid fat will also ruin the flavor of sautéed or
fried foods and cause problems during heating because of its lower smoke point.
- Hydrolytic Rancidity. Fats become rancid when exposed to water, usually the water found
frozen on food to be fried. The addition of water hydrolyzes the bonds in the triglyceride,
causing it to break down into smaller compounds. Catalyzing this reaction are lipase enzymes
and heat. Th is hydrolytic rancidity has implications for deep-frying. Placing cold, wet food in
heated frying oil introduces water, making the oil prone to hydrolytic rancidity. Conversely, fats
that have not been heated are more prone to hydrolytic rancidity because the lipase enzymes
have not yet been destroyed by heat. Butter left out at room temperature, which is ideal for the
lipase enzyme, quickly decomposes; therefore, butter is often refrigerated or frozen. Butter also
contains water, which is the reason it has a tendency to go rancid. Butter’s volatile short-chain
fatty acids, such as butyric and caproic acids, create a rancid odor and off-flavor when released
into the air. The long-chain fatty acids are also freed, but they are not volatile and therefore do
not contribute to the odor of rancid butter.
- Oxidative Rancidity. Fats can also become rancid when they are exposed to the oxygen in air.
The higher the degree of unsaturation, the more likely it is that the fat will be subject to
oxidative rancidity. This is why saturated and hydrogenated fats were popular in the past with
some food manufacturers and food service establishments. Unlike hydrolytic rancidity, the
rancidity due to oxygen occurs in a series of steps. The initiation period is slow and is triggered
by light; high temperatures; table salt; food particles in the frying oil; and certain metals such as
iron, copper, and nickel. This initial stage is followed by a quicker, irreversible, and self-
perpetuating chain reaction. Oxygen atoms attach to the carbons next to the double bond of
the fatty acid, creating very reactive and unstable molecules called free radicals. These free
radicals contribute to the further breakdown of fats into smaller compounds, resulting in
unpleasant odors and off-flavors. Once this process starts, it is difficult to stop because the free
radicals generated by the reaction create more free radicals, and this domino effect continues
until all the double bonds have been used in the process. Antioxidants, found naturally in the
fat or commercially added, inhibit oxidative rancidity and extend shelf life.
4.  Describe the factors to consider when selecting a frying fat, as well as optimal frying
temperatures and conditions
- Not every fat is suited for the very high temperatures of deep-frying, which average 350 F–450
F (177 C–232 C). The high temperatures of deep-frying allow foods to be heated more quickly
than if they were boiled. Th e fats commonly used for frying must be 100% fat, and include
vegetable oils (except for olive or sesame oil) and hydrogenated shortenings (without additives
such as emulsifiers). The vegetable oils most frequently used include cottonseed, corn, canola,
peanut, and safflower. Many vegetable oils are also chosen for frying because they have little
flavor of their own and will not overpower the flavor of very lightly seasoned or bland foods.
Conversely, some foods call for butter as a sautéing fat to enhance flavor, but the heat must be
carefully controlled because the water and milk solids in butter cause it to spatter and burn
more easily. Margarine is not recommended for frying because, in addition to containing water,
it has a low smoke point. The water will splatter, and foods fried in fats with low smoke points
develop unpleasant flavors.
- The optimal frying temperature is 375 F (191 C), with higher temperatures (375 F–390 F/191
C–199 C) required for smaller pieces of food, and lower temperatures (350 F–365 F/177 C–185
C) for larger pieces of food.
-Optimal Frying Conditions. The fats in a fryer go through stages that influence the quality of
the fried product. At the new and break-in stages, foods absorb too little oil; just the right
amount is absorbed at the fresh and optimal levels that follow; and then too much soaks in at
the de- graded and runaway phases. Many professional chefs claim that foods fry best in oil
that has been used at least once. Desirable browned crusts occur when oils pick up proteins
and carbo- hydrates from the foods that have been fried in them. Eventually, however, the
browning becomes too dark, and the fat must be replaced. Also, as the fat deteriorates, the
surface tension of the frying oil decreases, making foods more likely to soak up the fat.
Repeated use of a frying fat will also lower its smoke point, because each heating hydrolyzes
some of the triglycerides into smaller molecules.