EDIBLE OIL FILLING & PACKAGING MANUFACTURING UNIT

Oils and fats form an essential part of the modern diet and have been used for the preparation of food since time immemorial. These are rich source of dietary energy and contain more than twice the calorific value equivalent to the amount of carbohydrates. Functionality of oils and fats not only adds flavor in the food, but it also increases the nutritional value of food also. They serve as a heat transfer medium at elevated temperatures (e.g., frying), improve taste sensation (spreads and salad dressings), give texture and flavor to a wide range of foodstuffs, supply a concentrated source of energy, deliver critical building elements for the body and act as a carrier for essential minor components like vitamins A and D.

Fats and oils are constructed of building blocks called “triglycerides” resulting from the combination of one unit of glycerol and three units of fatty acids. They are insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents. They have lower densities than water, and may have consistencies at ambient temperature of solid, semisolid, or clear liquid. When they are solid appearing at normal room temperature, they are referred to as “fats,” and when they are liquid at that temperature, they are called “oils.” Fats and oils are classified as “lipids” which is a category that embraces a broad variety of chemical substances. In addition to triglycerides, it also includes mono- and diglycerides, phosphatides, cerebroids, sterols, terpenes, fatty alcohols, fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, and other substances.

The word oil is derived from the Latin word oleum, originally used for olive oil, but nowadays it means any of numerous combustible and unctuous substances that are liquid at room temperature (this distinguishes them from fats) and soluble in many organic solvents but not in water. Vegetable oils are derived from plants and chemically are composed of triglycerides and several other minor components, which may be very important for different aspects.

Lipids in general, and edible vegetable oils in particular, are very important in foods. They are, however, vulnerable to quality deterioration and must be adequately protected by packaging throughout their commercial life. Sources of edible vegetable oils are many and varied, and their quality attributes such as nutritional properties, health benefits, lipid composition, odour, and colour are very important. A precise knowledge of these attributes and their changes throughout the supply chain is required to guide shelf life testing and estimation. Oils are generally stable microbiologically due to very low moisture content. However, they are subject to important chemical and physical changes.

Edible Oils” means vegetable Oils and fats but does not include any margarine, vanaspati, bakery shortening and fat spread as specified in the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 (37 of 1954) and rules made there under, for human consumption. Vegetable oils are derived from plants and chemically are composed of triglycerides and several other minor components, which may be very important for different aspects.

Vegetable oils are a group of fats that are derived from some seeds, nuts, cereal grains, and fruits. It is important to understand that not all of these vegetable oils are liquid oils at ambient temperatures. In addition, not all of the vegetable oils are produced in commercial quantities, and of those that are, not all are considered to be edible as in the sense of being a typical dietary component. This treatise will cover only edible vegetable oils.

The list of vegetable oils includes all vegetable oils that are extracted from plants by placing the relevant part of the plant under pressure, to squeeze the oil out. Although few plants are entirely without oil, the oil from a small set of major oil crops complemented by a few dozen minor oil crops has become widely used and traded.

Oils may also be extracted from plants by dissolving parts of plants in water or another solvent, and distilling the oil (known as essential oils), or by infusing parts of plants in a base oil (a process known as maceration; see list of macerated oils). The distilled essential oils often have quite different properties and uses to vegetable oils, and are listed in the list of essential oils.

Vegetable oils can be classified in several ways, for example:

By source: most, but not all vegetable oils are extracted from the fruits or seeds of plants, and the oils may be classified by grouping oils from similar plants, such as “nut oils”.

By use: oils from plants are used in cooking, for fuel, for cosmetics, for medical purposes, and for other industrial purposes.