ABSTRACT
Vegetable oils can function as a source of food and also provide an important feedstock for the chemical industry. Most oilseed crops grown in temperate regions, such as the United States, produce vegetable oils that contain the same five fatty acids in varying proportions. These oils contain the saturated fatty acids palmitate and stearate, along with the unsaturated fatty acids oleate, linoleate, and α-linolenate. Vegetable oils are vital components of a balanced diet, as they provide caloric value and the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, there are numerous industrial uses for such oils, depending on their composition. Oils with higher saturated and oleate content are oxidatively stable and are used as sources of fatty acids, esters, and alcohols for surfactants and hair care products [1]. Oils with high linoleate composition, such as soybean oil, may be used in printing inks [2] or as epoxidized oils for use as plasticizers or in coatings [3]. Oils with high linolenate content, such as linseed oil, are especially useful as drying oils and are an important component of coatings and other applications where its drying properties are an asset [4]. Important advantages in the use of vegetable oils for chemical and other industrial purposes are their availability as a renewable resource and their biodegradability. However, there are limits to their usefulness.
