Based on the source, edible fats and oils can be divided into vegetable fats and animal fats. Common vegetable fats and oils include soybean oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, corn oil, etc. Common animal fats and oils include lard, tallow, mutton oil, fish oil, etc.

Vegetable oils and fats

Vegetable oils and fats contain unsaturated fatty acids, have a low melting point, are liquid at room temperature, and have a high rate of digestion and absorption. Vegetable oil fat content of more than 99%, in addition to rich in vitamin E, a small amount of potassium, sodium, calcium and trace elements.

Vegetable oils and fats are an important source of essential fatty acids, in order to meet the needs of the human body, in the diet should not be less than 50% of the total fat sources. Vegetable oils are prone to rancidity due to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids and produce some harmful substances, so they should not be stored for a long time.

Animal fats

Fats and oils obtained from animals.　

Can be divided into terrestrial warm-blooded animals and poultry fats and oils, such as tallow, mutton oil, lard, etc., generally solid, and its main components are palmitic acid, stearic acid triglycerides; marine mammals and fish fats and oils, such as whale oil, fish oil, etc., generally liquid, the main components in addition to myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and containing 22-24 carbon and 4-6 double bonds of the unsaturated acids and unsaturated acids containing 10~14 carbons.　

Mainly for food, such as pig fat, tallow, mutton fat and so on. It is also widely used in the manufacture of hardening oil, soap, glycerin, lubricants and tanning industry and pharmaceuticals. Fish oil is a raw material for the preparation of paints. Obtained by boiling method.　

The oils and fats of land animals are mainly concentrated in adipose tissue and internal organs, such as pig fat, tallow, mutton fat, etc.; there is also an emulsified state exists in the milk of mammals, such as cream. There are also small amounts present in bone marrow, e.g. bone oil. The fatty acids that make up triglycerides are mainly oleic, soft and stearic acids. Of these, saturated acids are generally more abundant than vegetable fats and oils. Most of the fats and oils of fish are found in the liver, e.g. cod liver oil. Most of the fats of sea animals are found under the skin, such as dolphin oil.