OLEO

or Oleo Oil, the oil obtained from animal fat, especially beef fat, by the removal of the ti ues and solid fatty acid. It is largely used in the manufacture of oleomargarin. The word ‘‘oleo’’ is also employed as an abbreviated form of Oleomargarin and as an adjective signifying ‘‘oily.’’ OLEOMARGARIN, or Margarin, or Butterine, an artificial substitute for butter, first devised (in 1870) by the French chemist Mége-Mouriés. He used beef oleo oil, milk, and water in proportions of ten, four, and three, churning together with annatto —the last-named being of course added to secure the characteristic butter color, Many changes have taken place in oleomargarin proce es since Mouriés’ time, and to-day it is manufactured in numerous styles and of widely varying ingredients. Beef oleo oil is still (generally) the chief ingredient of oleomargarin proper, but with the addition of neutral lard (see Larp), and vegetable oil (usually cottonseed oil, either exclusively or chiefly), together with ripened pasteurized milk, the importance hy quantity of all the ingredients being in the order given. Choice grades contain a; ' percentage of natural butter. The color may be either white or yellow—the latter either by artificial coloring or from the natural hue of the oi] incorporated—oleomargarin being marketed in both forms in order to meet the requirements and prohibitions of legislative acts. The advantages of oleomargarin are that it is a thoroughly wholesome food with a good deal of the appearance and flavor of butter which ean be produced at a lower eost than good butter. For general adult use it answers all the main food purposes of the dairy product, and it is for the entire family a much safer food than poor grades of butter. Incidentally, competition with oleomargarin has greatly improved the general standards of butter manufacture. Those whose memories can reach back to fifty years ago will remember how common was rancid butter. Now, fortunately, it is an article seldom encountered. It is impo ible to briefly summarize a more exact comparison because of the varying ingredients of oleomargarin. As originally made, its analysis, its food value, and its a imilation by the body differed little from that of butter. But another element enters with the inclusion of large percentages of lard and of vegetable oils— though the product is still nutritious and wholesome, there is a decided decrease of vitamin components (see Foop Vaturs). This objection may be a minor one in the case of adults, with whom either article is a verv small part of a mixed diet, but it becomes important with children whose diet may include a considerable proportion of ‘‘bread and butter.’’ Oleomargarin has had a long, uphill fight to secure general public acceptance. The two prime factors which delayed its general use were, on the one hand, the opposition of farmers and dairymen, and, on the other, the nece ity of cireumventing the fraudulent substitution of oleomargarin for butter—the former being largely the result of the latter. The clumsy title ‘‘oleomargarin’’ was not devised, as one might suspect, by the enemies or defamers of artificial butter. The ‘‘oleo’’ is of course self-explanatory. The ‘‘margarin’’ perpetuates an error of French chemists who long held that olein, ‘“‘margarin,’’ and stearin (as the glyceryl derivatives of oleic, ‘‘margaric,’’ and stearic acids) were the e ential constituents of animal fats, and olein and ‘‘margavin’? of the fat of milk (.e@, butter), The so-called ‘*margaric’”’ acid was in reality a mixture of palmitic and stearic acids, and ‘‘margarin’’ of milk has totally disappeared from the language of the subject. Nor was the title ‘‘oleomargarine’’ first appled to artifieial animal-fat butter--it had heen given fifteen or sixteen years before to a solid substance obtained yet earlier from olive oi]. Thus it happened that the original ‘‘oleomargarine’’ was a fruit product! See also NutT-BUTTER.