Question

Which of the following is NOT true about hydrogenation?

1) Hydrogenation can be useful for hardening liquid oil in commercially manufacturing cookies
2) Hydrogenation increases the number of double bonds in liquid oil
3) Hydrogenation can be useful to reduce rancidity, making cookies more shelf stable
4) Hydrogenation produces trans fat

Answer 1

Hydrogenation is a process used in the food industry to make oils semi-solid and increase their shelf life. However, it does not increase the number of double bonds in liquid oil. It converts double bonds from cis-conformation to trans-conformation.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hydrogenation is a process in which hydrogen gas is bubbled through oils to solidify them. It is commonly used in the food industry to make oils semi-solid and increase their shelf life. However, one of the statements in the options given is NOT true. That statement is option 2) Hydrogenation increases the number of double bonds in liquid oil. In reality, during hydrogenation, double bonds of the cis-conformation in the hydrocarbon chain may be converted to double bonds in the trans-conformation, forming trans fat from cis fat.