Margarine

Margarine ( butter art, over French acide margarique " margaric " of Greek μάργαρον, Margaron, or μαργαρίτης, MARGARITES "pearl" ) is a manufactured fat spread. Margarine is longer and has a lower price than butter or lard, and is therefore often used as a substitute. Your health value is the subject of controversial debate.

• 2.1 margarine versus butter
• 2.2 Hydrogenated fats
• 2.3 glycidol fatty acid esters
• 2.4 vitamin supplement
• 2.5 dyes
• 2.6 nickel and aluminum
• 2.7 Further additions

• 3.1 invention
• 3.2 Beginning of the industrial production
• 3.3 concentration on the market

Composition

Margarine is an emulsion of hardened and unhardened fats and water or skimmed milk with a fat content of between 80 % and 90%. The flavoring of acidifiers such as lactic acid, citric acid, acid whey or yogurt cultures are mixed. The yellow color comes from the margarine usually added beta carotene. Also common is the post-addition of fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E, as most of the natural vitamins are destroyed during manufacture. The energy content is about as high as in butter with about 3000 kJ per 100 grams.

String strength

In order to achieve a strike strength of most liquid fats, different methods are applied. A degree of solidification can take place, for example by the use of emulsifiers or thickening agents such as gelatin, pectin, alginates or milk protein. With conventional margarines, however, the curing is carried out in particular by the hydrogenation of the fats.

In organic margarines no chemical processes may be used. The spreadability is instead generated by a physical path through refrigeration processes or by the addition of solid fats (eg palm oil ).

Legal requirements

According to the European legislation (Council Regulation No 2991/94 of 5 December 1994 laying down standards for spreadable fats ) the nature and composition of oils and fats to be used is not specified. They may be of either plant or animal origin. Usually, 90 % of fats are vegetable, for example, peanut oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil or wheat germ oil. Among the used animal fats include beef tallow, milk fat and fish oil. If the product is referred to as " vegetable shortening ," his fat percentage to 97% must consist of vegetable fats and contain at least 15 % linoleic acid. According to the fat content of a " sunflower margarine " to 97% must consist of sunflower oil. For the additional designation " rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids ", to be at least 30% linoleic acid, with " particularly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids " is as high as 50%.

Nutritional Physiology

The nutritional value of margarine is controversial. For many years putative health-promoting properties of the company through advertising were communicated solid. Many allegations were, however, now clearly disproves scientifically, so that is only understood by a health benefits of margarine in individual cases.

Margarine versus butter

Scientific research seemed to confirm that the margarine butter was preferable. Like other vegetable fats margarine contains less cholesterol, which was considered as positive for the human body. More recent studies do not confirm this relationship, however. Margarine from mostly hydrogenated fats hardly contains essential fatty acids, also produced by the incomplete hydrogenation during the Hydrogenation of trans - fatty acids. Therefore, increasingly soft margarines from non-hydrogenated fats are recommended for human consumption which contain the essential, unsaturated fatty acids and only small amounts of cholesterol and trans fats. Modern recipes (as of 2008) generally fall no longer significant levels of trans - fatty acids ( contents of less than one percent ) and usually have at least not unhealthy fatty acid composition or use some canola and soybean oil as a rich source of omega-3 and monounsaturated fatty acids.

Butter contains approximately 3.2 % of trans- fatty acids, vaccenic acid, especially in an amount of 1-8% trans fatty acids is present as common in the fats of ruminants, in milk products (such as milk, butter, cheese ), while in hydrogenated vegetable fats elaidic acid represents the major part of the trans fatty acids. The increased supply of natural trans fatty acids on dairy products could increase both HDL and LDL cholesterol levels in a study in women. In another study, we observed even in obese women, a slight reduction of the " good" HDL cholesterol levels. In these studies, the women always showed a less favorable response to the increased intake than men, on what seemed to dairy products to have no significant effect, the increased intake of trans fatty acids. In population studies, however, was observed that women sometimes responded favorably than men to an increased intake of trans fatty acids on dairy products. However, the adverse effect of the typical for the industrial production of trans fatty acids on LDL - cholesterol levels and the risk of arteriosclerosis is previously well known and established.

In another study of the association between frequent consumption of full fat dairy products, and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes has been studied. Everything seems here to indicate that the end occur in dairy products trans - palmitoleic acid ( a monounsaturated omega -7 fatty acid) has a strong decreasing effect on type 2 diabetes risk.

A part of the consumer pulls the margarine butter, for reasons of animal welfare. Critics oppose prevailing in dairy farming conditions and therefore attract vegetable products produced before.

Hydrogenated fats

Clearly the problematic in some Fetthärtungsverfahren ( hydrogenation) is resulting high content of trans fatty acids. This strain has been proven to the cardiovascular system. To alleviate the problem, the fats of most margarine products are now fully hardened and then mixed with non-hydrogenated fats and oils. In this way, the proportion of trans fatty acids is greatly reduced. The average fat composition of a vegetable margarine is now at 40 % saturated and 45% monounsaturated and 15% polyunsaturated fatty acids.

In addition, so-called bio and reform margarines are available that do by the use of solid palm or coconut fat without fat hardening. Depending on the recipe margarine products may also contain particularly large number of unsaturated fatty acids, which in turn have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. This is especially true for products containing olive oil. The declared on some products ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids ( 1:2 is recommended ) or omega-6 to omega -3 fatty acids (recommended no more than 5:1), but may differ widely from the actual value.

In a series of tests by Stiftung Warentest in 2002 were included in six of 40 margarines trans fatty acids. Nine margarines were rated deficient. Biomargarine section in the test worse than conventional products because you were certified by a tester " tallowy or rancid " flavor. This is probably caused by the production of: Biomargarinen usually contain palm or coconut fats that make margarine spreadable without chemical curing; However, these fats have sometimes a commonly perceived as unpleasant aroma. During a repeat test in 2008, trans fatty acid contents as well as the taste of Biomargarinen, however, were not objected to. In the same test contained " the most testing products " only less than one percent trans fatty acids in the fat ( while had formerly been customary up to 25% ). Only two out of 27 products were " at around 3 percent on ."

Glycidol fatty acid esters

Furthermore, the proven formation of fatty acid esters of glycidol during the refining is considered to be problematic. Especially with use of palm oil, the concentration of the pollutant fat falls from particularly high. In 16 of 19 margarine products Öko-Test was in November 2010, this forerunner of the genotoxic and possibly carcinogenic glycidol. Therefore to be preferred are low-fat margarines, in which the proportion of glycidol fatty acid esters by the higher water content lower. When unrefined, organic natural alternative is suitable in many cases extra virgin coconut oil or almond puree.

The chemically related 3- MCPD fatty acid esters also arises during the refining especially at the high temperatures of the Desodorierungsschritts. Compared to the 2008 test but an increased concentration was present in only three of the 19 margarine products. In addition, it is still unclear how complete the ester transforms during digestion in the free 3 -MCPD, whose toxic properties are also not yet fully understood. Thus, there is here BfR no acute health hazard.

Vitamin supplement

As in the hydrogenation most vitamins are destroyed, the margarine be added many vitamins again afterwards. The addition of vitamin D in virtually all margarines regarded as unproblematic, because the basic supply of vitamin D is generally not optimal in Germany. This does not apply to other commonly added vitamins A, E, B6 and B12, as there is no shortage exists. In general, the addition of vitamins in foods is now being viewed critically by science.

Dyes

The buttery color of margarine was developed by the Dutch pharmacist Lodewijk van der Grinten. This dye used his knowledge later and founded in 1877, which specializes in printing solutions company Océ. The butter yellow used initially, an azo dye, is now classified as a carcinogen. Instead, today carotenoids are used.

Nickel and aluminum

In the hydrogenation of most metal catalysts are used. Thus, traces of nickel and aluminum in the margarine may be included, but so far regarded as problematic due to the low concentrations in the range of 0.01 micrograms per 100 g - eg drop the nickel concentrations in wheat bread (23 mg/100 g) or cocoa (1.23 mg/100 g) was significantly higher.

Other admixtures

At the beginning of the 20th century, it still came to other admixtures, including of gypsum, water, magnesium silicate and barium:

" As I said, the margarine is an extremely recommendable, high-fat and easy to digest butter surrogate, as long as it is sold as such and not brought to the man about as cow butter. [ ... ] Are of course to be regarded as corruption also not infrequently observed mineral additives such as gypsum, barite, magnesite pebbles acid. [ ... ] In contrast, deliberate kneading copious amounts of water is just as often as before with cow butter. From dyeing the same is true what is said about the coloring in 'butter' and 'cheese'. , It is just one nourished by the public taste bad habit "

History of Margarine

Invention

The initiative for the invention of margarine went from Napoleon III. from, who sought a durable substitute for butter, which was intended for providing food his troops. In 1869, the chemist Hippolyte Mège - Mouriès was successful with his invention, which he called first beurre économique (French for " cheap butter " ) and later margarine Mouriès. For the first margarine milk, water, suet and the lab later no longer used or crushed cow's udder was mixed. Mège - Mouriès himself had little economic skill and sold his patent in 1871.

Beginning of the industrial production

In the same year the pharmacist Benedict Klein founded in Cologne- Nippes Benedict Small margarine works, the first margarine factory in Germany that produced the brands Overstolz and Botteram. Also in 1871, the company Jurgens and Van den Berg began to produce margarine Oss in the Dutch city and marketed them in Germany. After Wilhelm Werwigk (1920 ), the first margarine factory in Germany was founded in 1874 in Frankfurt am Main, numerous competitors were added, so that it was already 45 companies have given in Germany in 1885, produced the margarine.

In a paper for food production states in 1906:

"The art of butter, for " margarine " is prescribed by a special imperial law the name, represents the best and most widely used substitute of cow butter dar. If we call the margarine the best butter substitute, so here is a tacit assumption that as raw material only quite healthy fats are recycled. "

Concentration in the market

Because the margarine production grew in importance, the product is in Germany in 1888 with a 30 per cent protective tariff. In order not to lose the German market, Jurgens and Van den Berg then opened production facilities in Kleve and Goch am Niederrhein, producing brands such as Rama butter and fine swan in the blue band. In the following years there was a strong concentration in the margarine business. On the European market Jurgens and Van den Bergh were the dominant forces. They bought gradually competitors ( including the Benedict Small margarine works in which later the first margarine was produced with reduced trans - fatty acid content) and merged in 1927 finally Margarine Unie NV based in Rotterdam.

In England, an art butter lard, whale oil, palm oil, peanut and coconut fat was marketed under the brand name Butterine by William Hesketh Lever. Together with his brother James, he expanded very dynamically in its home market as well as in the United States and the countries of the British Commonwealth and secured alongside the markets also provide access to key raw materials, for example, by buying the Niger Company in 1920.

From a merger of Margarine Unie and Lever Brothers with was 1930, the company Unilever. The company is still the largest margarine producer in Germany and one of the largest manufacturers in the world. In Germany, Unilever sells the brands Rama, Sanella, Lätta and Becel. The second largest German manufacturer is the Walter Rau Lebensmittelwerke ( Deli Reform, Butt Ella, Vita reform, Sana, Sonja, Marina), which is the Bunge Limited since 2008 property.

Varieties

Besides the classic margarine, there are:

Additional titles are:

• " Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids ": at least 30 % linoleic acid
• " Particularly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids ": at least 50 % linoleic acid