Contributions of Chemistry to Sustainable
Food Production
Freie Universitat Berlin, August 1999
Thursday August 12, 9:00 - 13:00
Inorganic Chemistry Lecture Hall
Food Application and Quality Assurance of Oils and
Fats
Albrecht Dieffenbacher*, Ph.D. Specialist in Oil and Fat technology
Chemin de la Tour Ronde 2, CH-1806 St. L�gier, SWITZERLAND, Email:
[email protected]
Abstract
Oils and fats as major food components have nutritional and non nutritional
functional properties. Nutritional properties are necessary for an
equilibrated diet. Non nutritional functions are related to physical
and chemical properties of oils and fats. Specific features of oils
and fats in food preparations and in foods are outlined.
Oils and fats is often need to be refined to become acceptable to
consumers. The refining may consist of various steps needing a careful
quality assurance to ensure the quality and safety requested.
Oil seeds and fruits are cultivated and harvested in different areas
or zones, to those where consumers are living. Therefore, products
related to oils and fats are important international trade commodities.
It is indispensable to apply internationally accepted analytical standard
methods for quality assurance to avoid disputes on quality and to
ensure optimal food safety.
The IUPAC Commission DCE VI.6 on Oils Fats and Derivatives has standardised
about 120 analytical method by international collaborative studies
and are used by many international organisation dealing with oils
and fats and food legislation.
*Until March 1997 at Nestl� Research Centre Vers-Chez-Les Blanc,
Nestec Ltd., 1000 Lausanne 236, Switzerland
