Some properties of margarines and shortenings marketed in Turkey

Fifteen margarines and 10 shortenings marketed in Turkey were analyzed for their fatty acid composition including trans fatty acids (TFA), solid fat content (SFC), and slip melting point (SMP). Margarines and shortenings are major sources TFA in the diet. All margarines and shortenings were high in palmitic acid. Seven margarine samples had low TFA contents (range 0.4–8.5%). TFA content of margarines and shortenings were within the range of 0.4–39.4% and 2.0–16.5%, respectively. TFA content of the samples affect both SFC and SMP. Compared to the American margarines and shortenings, Turkish samples have higher SFC (except sample M10).