Food Lipids: Chemistry, Nutrition, and Biotechnology

Table 8 Approximate Fatty Acid Composition of Spreading Fats (%)
Fat Saturated Monoene a
Polyene
Butter 63–70 28–31 1–3
Stick (packet), veg. oils only 18–21 45–66 14–35
Stick (packet), veg. and animal fats 29–40 46–52 9–19
Soft (tub) 17–19 35–52 29–48
a U.S. stick margarines contain 17–36% trans acids and soft margarines contain 10–18% trans acids.
However, products with lower levels of trans acids are now being produced.
The levels of total trans acids (mainly 18:1 but also 18:2 and 18:3) in margarines
from various countries are listed in Table 10 (19–23). Levels have declined
over the last 10 years and are noticeably lower in Europe than in North America.
However, margarines are not the only source of dietary trans fatty acids. Such acids
are also obtained from dairy produce and from baked goods made with partially
hydrogenated vegetable fats. Ratnayake et al. (22) report that with a trans fatty acid
consumption of about 8.4 g/day in Canada, only about 0.96 g (11%) comes from the
consumption of margarine. Wolff et al. (24) have drawn attention to the very different
profile of trans monoene fatty acids consumed in France and Germany compared
with consumption in North America. These differences reflect the differing nature of
trans acids from dairy produce on the one hand and industrially hydrogenated vegetable
oils on the other.
Margarines are now available with added phytosterols, which, it is claimed, are
capable of reducing blood cholesterol levels. The phytosterols are obtained from tall
oil and added as hydrogenated sterol esters or from soybean oil and added as unsaturated
sterol esters to margarines at around the 8% level. Margarine is a suitable
vehicle for phytosterol addition because it is a food used widely and regularly, and
is unlikely to be overconsumed. Intake of phytosterols is normally 200–400 mg/day,
though higher for vegetarians, and the intake of 1.6–3.3 g/day, recommended by
those offering this special margarine, is markedly higher. Normally about 50% of
Table 9 Production of Margarine (MMT Expressed in Terms of Normal Fat Levels and
Including Vanaspati), 1994–1999
Country 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
World total 9.00 9.19 9.31 9.51 9.36 9.50
EU-15 2.31 2.43 2.40 2.52 2.41 2.30
E. Europe 0.52 0.59 0.59 0.63 0.62 0.63
Ex-USSR 0.56 0.46 0.47 0.49 0.48 0.61
USA 1.19 1.13 1.12 1.07 1.05 1.02
Brazil 0.40 0.42 0.44 0.45 0.47 0.47
India 0.91 0.96 1.02 1.03 0.96 1.01
Pakistan 1.33 1.36 1.38 1.41 1.44 1.47
Turkey 0.56 0.58 0.61 0.63 0.65 0.67
Other 1.22 1.26 1.28 1.28 1.28 1.32
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