Catalyst Role in Edible Oil Hydrogenation to Achieve Plastic fat (Shortening)

The process of edible oil hydrogenation filled a great need to alleviate raw material shortage in themargarine industry, which until then used mainly animal fats. Lack of insight in the rate limiting factors resultedin very long reaction times and variable product characteristics. The catalyst used in the industrialhydrogenation process, is a nickel catalyst deposited on a silicate natural support (diatomite) or on a silicatesupport obtained from aqueous glass. The purpose in hydrogenating fats is twofold: to increase the meltingpoint and to improve flavor stability. Necessarily, fat hydrogenation is a three-phase process: solid catalyst,liquid oil, and hydrogen gas, which has low solubility in the oil.

Keywords:

Catalyst , Hydrogenation , Edible Oils , Nickel