ABSTRACT
The USA, Brazil and Argentina dominate the market of soybean and soya oil, while Malaysia and Indonesia dominate that of palm oil, as a result of aggressive technological policies of companies such as Unilever. The application of fats and oils is a direct function of their structure; the type and distribution of fatty acids, which are classified according to their size as short chain, medium chain and long chain. The impact of genetic engineering on agricultural production has been the subject of intense research and intense debate. Several enzymes have been used to ameliorate or modify extraction processes and to design lipids with improved physical and nutritional properties, using raw materials of high availability. The situation of the fat and oil sector is strongly affected by the actual biotechnological advances on one hand, combined with the trends in consumption, globalization and free trade policies on the other.
