Margarine

Margarine, as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes, and is often informally called "butter".
In many parts of the world, margarine has become the best-selling table spread and is an ingredient in the preparation of many foods.

History and Development

Margarine was invented in 1869 as an alternative for butter: better to keep and cheaper.
These advantages have made margarine increasingly popular, and already many years ago margarine and shortening surpassed butter.
Today the name "Margarine" generically refers to any edible oil.

The 2 most common forms of margarine are:

• Hard, generally uncolored margarine for cooking or baking. (Shortening)
• "Traditional" margarines for such uses as spreading on toast

Current trends in the margarine industry are the following developments:

• Margarines high in mono- or polyunsaturated fats.
• Light / diet products. Especially for spreadables, as the water content in light and diet products is higher.
• Margarines fortified with vitamins and minerals like Omega 3, Vitamin E and Calcium.

Ingredients

Margarine typically consists of vegetable oils and fats, water, emulsifiers (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, soya lecithin), dry milk components, salt, preservative (potassium sorbate, sorbic acid, sodium benzoate), food acid, anti-oxidants and vitamins (A, D, E). Margarine itself has little taste and color; flavor and color are added to make it appear and taste more like butter.

A number of the more common products Chemelco is supplying to margarine producers are the following:

• Palm Oil (both palm oil and palm kernel oil): These days the most used fat in the production of margarine. No hydrogenation is required, and thus no trans fats.
• Salt: Used for preservation and taste.
• Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids: Emulsifier, used to assure the water-in-oil emulsion is stable.
• Soya Lecithin: Used as emulsifier and to prevent spattering of the margarine during cooking.
• Potassium Sorbate: This is normally the preservative of choice in margarine, as it is active in environments with pH levels up to 6,5 (almost neutral). Dissolves to form Sorbic Acid, but is much more soluble.
• Sodium Benzoate: A preservative with optimal antimicrobial effect in acidic environments with a pH value between 2,5 and 4,0.
• Sorbic Acid: The use of this preservative very similar to Potassium Sorbate, but it is less soluble.
• Citric Acid: Food acid. Not only brings down pH, helping preservation, but also adds to flavor.
• Butter Flavor: Margarine would not taste like butter without Butter Flavor. Likewise we can also provide Ghee Flavor.
• Beta-Carotene: This is a naturally occurring color, which is for example present in carrots, and is used to give the margarine a yellowish color.
• Vitamins: Many producers include vitamins A and D3, but increasingly other vitamins are included, like vitamin E and Omega 3.

Besides these products there are many other ingredients we supply to this industry, including the fortificants and anti-oxidants. Quite a few of these products are available in our own Sumo® brand range of products.

For many years Chemelco has been supplying these - and many other - raw materials to margarine producers, and as a result has developed a wealth of knowledge in this field. We can provide you with all required raw materials, combined in mixed shipments. Instead of the hassles involved with sourcing small quantities of different products from a number of different producers, we can supply you with the whole range!

We welcome your questions and enquiries.

Download our Margarine products whitepaper

Download our Margarine newsletter 2011