Fats and Oils

• What is the difference between fats and oils?

  Fat:

  • solid at room temperature
  • higher melting point
  • most commonly from animal sources

  Oil:

  • liquid at room temperature
  • lower melting point
  • most commonly from plant sources
• What is the nutritional value of butter and margarine?

  • High in saturated fat
  • Vitamin A and D
  • Salted butter/margarine provides sodium
• Butter:

  • made from churned cream
  • solid, firm fat
  • when heated, it will melt
  • there is salted and unsalted butter
• Margarine:

  • cheaper alternative to butter
  • made of vegetable oils
  • can be sold in blocks: hard margarine, or tubes: soft margarine
• Uses of butter in food preparation:

  Shortening - fat coats flour granules to prevent gluten formation e.g pastry

  Aeration - air is added to a mixture to enlarge it e.g creaming method cakes