The invention provides a fat product which notwithstanding a substantially high content of palm oil or palm oil derivates is suitable for preparing emulsion food spreads, e.g. margarine of acceptable hardness values. The fat product contains both co-randomized and non-randomized constituents derived from palm oil or provide 12-25% of SUS triglycerides and a weight ratio of SUS:SSU triglycerides within the range of 0.5 to 2.5.

A process for producing hard fats is disclosed. The process involves reacting a 1,3-specific lipase with a mixture of 23-48% palmitic acid, 6-25% lauric acid and 0.5-5% behenic acid or its ester with a monohydric or polyhydric alcohol. The palmitic acids include: palm oil, fractionated palm oil and hardened palm oil. The lauric acids include: palm kernel oil, coconut oil, babassu oil and fractioned oil and hardened oil obtained from the palm kernel, coconut or babassu oil. The lipase is preferrably obtained from Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Mucor, pancreas and rice bran.

The present invention concerns the technical field of edible spreads. Consumers have exhibited a preference for fats which are relatively low in saturates, low in trans fatty acids, low in sixteen-carbon fatty acids and contain some polyunsaturated fats. In a known product the fat phase comprises around 80 wt % of the product and consists of a blend of around 40 wt % olive oil and 60 wt % partially hardened olive oil. The invention provides an edible spread comprising from 80-5 wt % fat and 95-20 wt % of an aqueous phase dispersed in the fat, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT; a) the oleic acid content of the fat phase is 45-80 wt % on fat phase, b) the saturated fatty acid content of the fat phase is 5-20 wt % on fat phase, c) the trans fatty acid content of the fat phase is 0-10 wt % on fat phase, and, d) the 18-carbon fatty acid content of the fat phase is 70-100 wt % on fat phase.

Hard butters, which are suitable replacements for cacao butter and which may be used for confectionary products without the occurrence of blooming, are obtained by hydrogenating a soft palm oil fraction having an iodine value of at least 55 with a conventional hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of methionine, whereby at least 40% of the glycerides are trans-isomers (calculated as trielaidine) and, optionally separating the middle-fraction of the hydrogenated product.

A fat blend having a relatively low level of trans fatty acids, which is preferably lower than 10% is obtained by random interesterification of lauric fats, saturated fats and a minor proportion of partially hydrogenated fats. A good melting behaviour in the mouth is achieved without recourse to fractionation.