ABSTRACT
Chemically, all fats and oils are mixtures of glycerol esters, formed by attachment of fatty acids to the hydroxyl groups of glycerol. Nevertheless, the fatty acid components are distinguishable by three features: chain length, number and position of the double bonds, and their position within the glyceride molecule. The chemical and physical properties of fats and oils are largely determined by their fatty acid compositions and the arrangement of these components within the triacylglycerol (TAG) molecule. Variations in these characteristics are responsible for diversity in fats and oils (O’Brien 2008).
