Margarine

Description of product

Margarine is, similar to butter, a spreading fat that is also very important for cooking and baking. It consists mainly of plant fats and oils and water. To give margarine its spreading consistency liquid oils have to be hydrogenated. It is necessary to add emulsifying agents for the fat and water to mix. Margarines often contain vitamin supplements, such as vitamin A and D (see also: vitamins).

The following supplements can also be used:
preservatives (sorbic acid), flavourings, edible acids, as well as colourings (beta-carotene). Antioxidants may be added to oils.

• See also: butter

Possible application of gene technology

Applications of gene technology are possible in the following ingredients that commonly are found in margarine. However, the extent to which a particular product is affected by these possibilities cannot be stated with certainty:

• plant fats: margarine usually consists of different plant oils. These can be produced from soya beans, some of which may derive from genetically modified soya. This also applies to the maize and rapeseed used to provide plant oils. The list of ingredients only needs to display plant fat, and not the type of plant. If the product name of the margarine indicates a plant source, at least 97% of the plant fat must derive from this plant; e.g. sunflower margarine.
• emulsifying agents are required in particular for fat reduced products to produce a fat-water emulsion. Both lecithin and mono- and digylcerides are usually produced from soya.
• the yellow colouring beta-carotene(E160 a) can be produced using genetically modified organisms.
• ascorbic acid/ vitamin C (antioxidant): the synthesis of vitamin C can be considerably simplified through the use of GM-microorganisms.
• citric acid: as a preservative or flavouring
• flavouring: butter flavour (diacetyl)
• lactic acid to improve flavour
• phytosterole in margarines with a cholesterol-reducing effect