What process transforms liquid oil into margarine?

The transformation of liquid oil into margarine primarily involves the process of hydrogenation. During hydrogenation, hydrogen gas is added to liquid vegetable oils, which solidifies the fats and alters their stability. This process changes the unsaturated fatty acids found in the oils into saturated fats, resulting in a more solid form that is suitable for spreading, just like butter.

Hydrogenation not only helps in achieving the desired texture of margarine but also improves its shelf life by reducing the susceptibility of fats to oxidation, which can lead to rancidity. Additionally, the process can be controlled to produce margarines with varying degrees of firmness and spreadability, making it a crucial step in margarine manufacturing.

While emulsification, pasteurization, and oxidation play important roles in food preparation and preservation, they do not specifically refer to the transformation of liquid oil into margarine. Emulsification relates to blending liquids that do not typically mix, like oil and water. Pasteurization is a heat treatment process aimed at killing harmful bacteria, and oxidation involves the reaction of fats with oxygen, which can lead to spoilage but does not convert oils into solid margarine.