The margarine industry of Europe

Recent mergers, acquisitions by the European margarine trust, and intensive merchandising campaigns throughout Europe to increase the popularity of margarine and expand the consumer markets for the product, have accentuated interest in this industry abroad. This article, therefore, as it embraces all of the leading margarine producing countries of Europe, is offered to fill a want and supply a service of information of particular interest to manufacturers of margarine and producers of other fats for food purposes in the United States. Published by permission of the Bureau.     

Study of rheological properties of margarine

Margarines from the rheological point of view are thixotropic plastic semisolids that change their plastic character with changes in the portions of the fat and aqueous phases. Contrary to lard and shortening, the emulsions containing ca. 85 and 15% of the fat and aqueous phases, respectively, follow the Casson equation (similarly as butter), whereas those containing 40 and 60%, respectively, satisfy the Herschel-Bulkley equation, which affects remarkably the way of evaluating experimental data. A new precise, and objective rheometrical method was developed for evaluating flow properties, which enables one to check quality and stability of margarines over a wide temperature interval just in the course of their production, and this may be helpful during the optimization of technology processes and standardization of product quality.     

Future considerations in margarine fortification

The present and future nutritional rationale for margarine fortification is discussed. The trend to increase the polyunsaturated fat content of margarine coupled with the newer knowledge of vitamin E requirements suggest that vitamin E fortification of margarine be considered; a practice common in Europe. The composition of current margarine is reviewed with respect to PUFA and vitamin E. The vitamin A content, low cost, wide availability and high caloric value of margarine suggest a possible role in feeding the underprivileged. In this connection, the use of margarine as a carrier of lysine to improve the protein quality of cereal foods with which it is used is suggested.     

Trace metals and the flavor stability of margarine

Traces of copper, iron and other metals are present in the oil and the salt used for margarine. The presence of these metals, which act as powerful catalysts for fat oxidation, decreased the flavor stability. Analyses were done by atomic absorption spectroscopy after ashing of 400 g oil and margarine samples. Storage tests are reported with laboratory samples to which different amounts of trace metals had been added, and also with plant production samples. Levels of 0.1 ppm copper led to rapid flavor deterioration. In order to expect good flavor stability, the maximum copper amounts which can be tolerated are about 0.02 ppm. Aside from the importance of having all equipment free of copper, the use of salt low in trace metals or the additions of metal chelating agents are ways to extend the shelf life. The addition of 75–100 ppm EDTA salts as sequestering agents was found to increase the flavor stability of margarine samples significantly. One of 28 papers presented at the Symposium, “Metal-Catalyzed Lipid Oxidation,” ISF-AOCS World Congress, Chicago, September 1970.     

Margarine and margarine oil,formulation and control

The formulation and control of margarine and margarine oils is based primarily on an understanding of the relationships between specific physical measurements and the compositions of the oils blends and their components, and secondarily, on an appreciation of processing effects, Desirable solids-to-liquid ratios are achieved by blending and hydrogenation control. Oils are chosen for their peculiar crystal habit resulting from conditions of processing both as oils, for components, and as a finished margarine product. This presentation identifies the underlying principles directly responsible for (a) proper formulation and control to achieve desirable finished product characteristics, (b) for choosing proper testing methods and (c) for developing adequate in-process controls.     

Storage of commercial margarine at different temperatures

The effect of storage temperature on the consistency of commercial margarine was analyzed by viscometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), microscopy at low temperature and X-ray diffraction. The results obtained show that samples harden at 13°C and soften at 4°C. The greater strength of samples was apparently associated with crystals of higher melting points. Recrystallization takes place during storage leading to more stable solid solutions with higher melting points.     

Lactones in butter,butteroil, and margarine

The γ- and Δ-lactones of butter, butteroil, and margarine samples were determined by a recently developed extraction and chromatographic method. A chromatographic column is made of three layers consisting of 6 g aluminum oxide upon which is placed 35 g sodium sulfate and then a fat-Celite mixture obtained by grinding 10 g sample with 35 g Celite 545. The column was eluted with acetonitrile, and the extract was concentrated and lactones determined by gas chromatography. γ-Dodecalactone, Δ-decalactone, Δ-dodecalactone, and Δ-tetradecalactone were recovered quantitatively. Freshly made butter had only 7 ppm of these lactones, whereas commercial samples ranged from 12–30 ppm. Two of eight commercial margarine samples had as much as 10 ppm of Δ-decalactone and Δ-dodecalactone. Comparison of unheated butteroil with butteroil heated at various temperatures showed a correlation of lactone content with time and temperature of heating. Butteroil heated at 65 or 100 C showed increasing levels of lactones up to 8 hr, whereas butteroil heated at 145 or 125 C showed a maximum production at ca. 2 and 4 hr, respectively.     

Margarine and margarine oils: Finished product quality

Finished margarine quality is presented in terms of the margarine manufacturer’s needs as expressed by in-house quality control and oil blend specifications. The philosophy of adequate performance testing is discussed as are the needs for in-process controls. Without adequate and effective in-process controls, specification testing practices result in only after-the-fact information and defeat the real purpose of specifications, which is to insure quality production and not merely to assess whether or not it has been attained. Although margarine manufacturers have found effective means of applying these controls to their own production, they have been lax in applying them to their raw material receipts, an emphasis that is at least of equal importance to finished product quality. One of seven papers presented in the symposium “Fats and Oils in the Food Industry,” Atlantic City, October 1971.