CHEMICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC ASPECTS OF MODIFIED BUTTER OIL FRACTIONS

Butter lipids are an important traditional source of dietary energy in take in the form of fat. Butter lost a sizable portion of its market s hare due to controversies associated with its cholesterol content and high percentage of long-chain saturated fatty acids. Accordingly, the use of vegetable oils and their chemically manipulated counterparts su ch as those produced by partial hydrogenation or interestrification in creased proportionally. However, beginning in 1940, researchers develo ped several procedures such as temperature-controlled crystallization, refractionation of crystallized butter oil solids, and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction to improve the acceptance of butter oil. Oth ers proposed preparation of synthetic substitutes such as sucrose poly esters to reduce intestinal absorption of fatty acids, thus reducing c aloric intake with concomitant reduction in serum cholesterol. The pre sent review provides a summary of the efforts of several attempts to i mprove the acceptability of butter together with the anticipated epide miological consequences of long-term consumption of altered butter oil to mammalian health.