ISO International Standard

ISO 8292-1:2008 specifies a direct method for the determination of solid fat content in animal and vegetable fats and oils (hereafter designated “fats”) using low-resolution pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry.

Two alternative thermal pre-treatments are specified: one for general purpose fats not exhibiting pronounced polymorphism and which stabilize mainly in the β’-polymorph; and one for fats similar to cocoa butter which exhibit pronounced polymorphism and stabilize in the β-polymorph. Additional thermal pre-treatments, which may be more suitable for specific purposes, are given in an informative annex.

The direct method is easy to carry out and is reproducible, but is not as accurate as the indirect method due to the approximate method of calculation.