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Modification of the Refractive Index Method for the Detection of Foreign Fats in Dairy Products¹

Department of Food Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana

ABSTRACT

It has been pointed out previously (3) that differences in the mixed fatty acid composition (6, 8, 9, 10) and in the unsaponifiable content (2, 4) have served as a means of identification of foreign fats in butterfat. It is, however, possible to prepare from tributyrin coconut oil and beef tallow a synthetic fat mixture (3) with almost the same fatty acid composition as butterfat. The methods based on tocopherol and sterol content will detect only vegetable fats. Moreover, the processors of vegetable and animal fats have developed new techniques for modifying fats (11), the physical and chemical properties of which may be similar to those of butterfat. Since these modified fats are relatively new, very little information is available about them. There is, therefore, no sound basis for the identification of these fats.

Recently it has been observed that when butterfat was fractionated from absolute ethyl alcohol at 20° C, the substitute fat was concentrated in the alcohol-soluble or insoluble fraction (3).

¹ Funds for partial support of these studies were made available by the American Dairy Association and the Pure Milk Association.