Evaluation of the Fat Content of Spreadable Foods

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to identify the types of fats in spreadable food. Three types of commercial margarine and three types of butter and a homemade product were analyzed. The presence of vegetable oils in two of the types of butter analyzed was identified. In one of the samples of margarine analyzed, the presence of saturated fats was highlighted, although according to the producer, it would contain only unsaturated vegetable fats. It has been shown that the DSC technique can be used to identify adulteration of butter or margarine and this method has the advantage of requiring a very small amount of samples, very good reproducibility and a short time for analysis.