Fats & Oils

Supply & Manufacturing

Much is being done by seed companies with selective seed breeding and gene modification to improve the stability of oil produced from oil crops without the need for hydrogenation. Here are two examples:

Canola oil and soybean oil are now available with reduced low linolenic (ALA) acid content (1.3% vs. 4-8%). The oil crops from which they come are grown from seeds that contain lower levels of ALA, the component in oil susceptible to high heat and oxidative changes causing spoilage. For more information on high-oleic canola oils see Classic and High-Oleic Canola Oils.
Canola, sunflower, and safflower oil are now available with an increased amount of oleic acid (60-90% vs. 20-30%), a component in oil making it more resistant to high heat and oxidative changes causing spoilage.

Oil Blends

Oil manufacturers are offering unique blends of specialty formulated oils with zero grams trans fat per serving.

Alternative Processing Methods

New methods for extracting oil without trans fat formulation are being developed. Here are two examples:

Expeller Press – This method extracts the oil from the seeds without the use of chemicals and high temperatures to avoid the production of trans fat.
Interesterification – This process uses an enzyme or other catalyst to rearrange the fatty acid portion of the oils to prevent the production of trans fat. These are mostly used to product healthier solid fats for baking.