Monodiglycerides and Hydrogenation - Diet & Nutrition Message Board

Bujutsu · 02-03-2007, 12:53 PM

Sorry, my first post was deleted because I had an inappropriate username back then (my fault).

Here goes my second try.

Someone recently informed me that he discovered that monodiglycerides was a sneaky way to label trans fat/hydrogenated oils.

1.) Has anyone else heard this?

2.) Are monoglycerides the same type of thing?

He said it's found in a lot of ice creams and things like that, due to its emulsification properties. I'm wondering if it has to do with the way they use the actual glycerides themselves, such as hydrogenating them and not calling it hydrogenated oil because it isn't purely fatty acid anymore, but fatty acid connected to glycerides.

I understand the chemical and structural differences between saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats already, just to let you know where I stand.

I haven't done too much reading on the actual science behind ester linkages just yet...

I look forward to learning from you all.

Lenin · 02-04-2007, 05:57 AM

Fats are usually TRIGLYCERIDES...that is, 3 fatty acids (R-COOH) bound to a glycerine molecule, a sugar alcohol. MONO or DIGLYCERIDE are more soluble in water and thuis are used as emulsifiers to join water and oil adding to texture ans shelf life. They are used in small amounts as food additives rather than in bulk as a real nutrient. They are responsible for that unbiquitous disclaimer: "may add a negligible amount of fat."

I doubt they are trans fats, though in theory ANY unsaturated fatty acid could be hydrogenated and made into a trans fat, but trans fats are used to transform BULK amounts of fat into more pleasing textures and to delay rancidity.
There would be no need to do this with a food ADDITIVE.

Where the labelling DOES get misleading in poroducts that are claimed to be NON-FAT. Mono and Diglycerides are technically not fat but they ACT like fat and have the CALORIES of fat. THey can make water based products SEEM fatty and thus they arre common in water based margerines and in non-fat salad dressings. They add the MOUTHFEEL of fat.

IF any mono or di's are hydrogenated (but I doubt they are) they would be required to be listed in the trans fat total.

But our worries for heart health are with BULK consumption of trans fats, not in milligram amounts as is typical with food additives.

Bujutsu · 02-06-2007, 03:48 AM

Thank you. That clears some things up.