Melting point

The melting point is the temperature at which a substance changes from solid to liquid, the point where both phases exist together in equilibrium. For edible fats and oils it is a critical quality and processing parameter: it determines whether a fat is solid, plastic, or liquid at a given temperature and shapes the texture of spreads, chocolate, pastry, and fried foods. Analysts report fat melting points using standardized capillary or slip-point methods so results are comparable between laboratories. Product developers adjust melting points by blending oils, by fractionation that separates high- and low-melting fractions, or by interesterification that rearranges fatty acids on the glycerol backbone, all to hit the target functionality for a spread, coating, or frying medium.