BUTTER FROM COAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26531, 5 August 1947, Page 7

BUTTER FROM COAL

SYNTHETIC FATS TESTED Reports of overseas investigations into the food value and cost of production of synthetic fats made in wartime Germany from petroleum obtained from coal, indicate that the advances made do not yet constitute a threat to the natural fats industries. A sample of the synthetic fats has been examined by the New Zealand Dairy Research Institute at Massey College. Results of that examination, coupled with other information from overseas reports, are described by Dr F. K. McDowall as follows: — “These synthetic fats were produced from fatty acids obtained by blowing air at a high temperature through a certain fraction of the petroleum products obtained in some of the German coal carbonisation n'ants for the manufacture of petrol from coal. The fatty acids were fractionated in order to give those which, when combined with glycerine to give a product similar in nature to natural fats, would yield a fat with the correct melting point,’so that it would melt in the mouth without giving an impression of greasiness. “In this respect the Germans were very successful. The product which was examined at the institute had a melting point almost identical with that of New Zealand butterfat, and the palatabitlity of the fact -is still opmi to question, and the cost has not yet been reduced to the stage of economic competition with natural fats. During the wav not more than 2000 tons weie produced annually,' and at a cost of £177 per ton. , .. .. “ The acceptability of the synthetic fats from the dietetic points of view i= still in doubt. Two German medical research workers. Thomas and Weitzel, have recently published an article indicating that the structural complexity of the synthetic fats renders them less easily digestible than the simpler natural fats, and they obtained evidence of the occurence of fat “ slags ” in the body when the synthetic fats were ingested. In other words, there were portions of the fat which the body could not properly dispose of. , ... “ While no one can predict with any certainty what will be the future developments in the synthesis of food fats, the indications are that these present advances are not sufficient to make the artifiical product a threat to the natural fats industries.”