On a Dilatometric Determination of Solid Fat Index of Fatty Oil and Examples of its Application

Abstract

The dilatometric method proposed by Fulton et al. was followed by the author and its detailed procedure was reported in this paper. The method was recognized to be preferable to the FAC method of the AOCS on several merits of using mercury instead of water. Data of solid fat index on American margarine and shortening goods were illustrated and relations between SFI and customers' requirements were discussed. A typical change of SFI during hydrogenation of cottonseed oil was observed and it was pointed out that capillary melting points were inadequate and incomplete to review consistency. Refined beef tallow was fractionated by solvent fractional crystallization method and the fractions were combined to obtain specimens containing different combination of tri, di, mono-saturated, and tri-unsaturated glycerides. SFI and glyceride composition were compared and tri-saturated and tri-unsaturated glyceride were found to be very causative for SFI.