Antioxidants, natural and commercial, are added to foods containing large amounts of unsaturated fats in order to prevent rancidity. The USDA’s Code of Federal Regulations defines antioxidants as substances used to preserve food by retarding deterioration, rancidity, or discoloration due to oxidation. Read more »

Preventing Rancidity

In the past, cereal manufacturers incorporated predominantly saturated fatty acids such as coconut and palm oils into their products to reduce the risk of rancidity. Public concern over saturated fat and its relationship to blood cholesterol levels has contributed to increasing use of unsaturated oils and new ways of deterring rancidity. Read more »

The different types of rancidity

There are two basic types of rancidity: hydrolytic rancidity, which occurs when water breaks larger compounds into smaller ones; and oxidative rancidity, in which the double bond of an unsaturated fatty acid reacts chemically with oxygen to result in two or more shorter molecules. Read more »

Storage of Fats

Although saturated fats resist rancidity better than unsaturated fats, it is best to protect both from this inevitable deterioration process. Fats such as butter and margarine are best stored in the refrigerator. Butter will keep for months in the freezer, but margarines do not freeze as well because their emulsions may separate. Read more »