Why are fats and oils hydrogenated?
In order to utilize fats and oils with high percentages of mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids infood processing, manufacturers must first hydrogenate these fats and oils to convert them to a more solid form for greater utility. Without hydrogenation, many vegetable oils lack the necessary stability to be used in food processing. Foods using unsaturated vegetable oils in their natural state would have a shorter shelf life, could oxidize and become rancid more quickly and would not have the same consistency. Unlike many other vegetable oils, palm oil is semi-solid in its natural state and is normally used in food processing without hydrogenation.
