LIPIDS

Lipids in Peanuts
Opened

jar peanut butter: chemical reaction

in the oil phase
Oxidation of the unsaturated fatty acids in
the peanut oil results in production of a
rancid odor.
Peanut butter represents a special food
system called an emulsion
H
C
H

oxygen

H
C

H
C

H
C
H

Hydrocarbon chain

Solutions and Emulsions

Solutions are homogeneous mixtures in which solute

particles are small enough to dissolve within solvent
Solute examples: salt, sugar, vitamin C, other small solid particles
Solute liquid examples: water, ethanol; gas examples: CO 2
Droplets of dispersed phase
within the continuous phase

Examples of colloids

MILK

Dispersions (colloidal dispersions) are mixtures in which

solutes do not dissolve (too large)
milk protein (casein)
egg white protein (albumen)
gelatin protein
pectin polysaccharide
Ca and Mg (minerals)

What is an emulsion?
Mixture of two immiscible liquids
oil

Surface tension acts to keep the liquids

from mixing

H2 O

Result: oil sits on

top of the water phase
Stable food emulsions = addition of emulsifiers
lecithin, sucrose esters, MAG, DAG, etc

O/W
emulsion

milk
ice cream
mayo

W/O
emulsion

Margarine
butter

Common Chemical Bonds in Foods

Covalent

Ionic

Sharing 1 or more pairs of electrons

Very strong bonds, not easily broken in foods
C-C or C=C bonds
Filling of orbitals through the transfer of electrons
Cations (+) and Anions (-); Na+ + Cl- => NaCl

Hydrogen

Compounds containing O or N with bound hydrogen

Very weak bonds; C-H or N-H

Functional Groups in Foods

Covalent: Sharing of electrons, strong bonds, C-C or C=C bonds

Ionic: Transfer of electrons, NaCl
Hydrogen: Weak bonds with O or N with bound hydrogen
There are 3 other important bonds in foods:

(1) An ester bond (linkage) in lipids

(2) A peptide bond (linkage) in proteins
(3) A glycosidic bond (linkage) in sugars

An ester bond (linkage) in lipids:

In food fats, fatty acids are attached to glycerol molecules, through
what is called an ester linkage

O
Glycerol

Ester linkage

fatty acid

Glycerol is a small molecule, containing only 3 carbons

But, to each carbon atom of glycerol, one fatty acid
can attach, via an ester bond.
A mono-, di-, or tri-esterified fatty acid to a glycerol is:
A MONOACYLGLYCEROL. A fat molecule that
has ONE fatty acid attached (esterified) to glycerol.
A DIACYLGLYCEROL. A fat molecule that
has TWO fatty acids esterified to glycerol.
A TRIACYLGLYCEROL. A fat molecule that
has THREE fatty acids esterified to glycerol.

Ester

HCOH

H C O C - (CH2)n CH3

HCOH
HCOH
Fatty acid chain

HCOH
HCOH
H
H

a monoglyceride

Glycerol

LIPID
chemical reactions
Oxidation
Hydrolysis
Hydrogenation

Chemical Bonds to Chemical Rxns

Oxidation vs Oxidized

The removal of an electron is oxidation (redox reactions).

When a food system is oxidized, oxygen is added to an active
binding site
For example, the result of lipid oxidation is that the lipid may
become oxidized.
In the food industry, we common speak of oxidizing agents
versus reducing agents. Both are used in foods.
Reducing agents are compounds that can donate an electron in the
event of an oxidation reaction.

L-ascorbic acid is an excellent reducing agent as are most antioxidants

Oxidizing agents induce the removal of electrons

Benzoyl peroxide is commonly added to bleached wheat flour

Enzyme Applications in the Food Industry

Carbohydrases: making corn syrup from starch
Proteases: Meat tenderizers
Lipases: Flavor production in chocolate and cheese
Pectinases
Glucose

oxidase
Flavor enzymes
Lipoxygenase
Polyphenol oxidase
Rennin (chymosin)

Legumes and Oilseeds

Soybeans

= used for both oil and protein

Peanuts = whole nut, oil, peanut butter