Question

When fats and oils are oxidised, their smell and taste changes. This phenomenon is termed as:
1. corrosion
2. erosion
3. rancidity
4. ductility

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : rancidity

The Correct Answer is rancidity.

• Rancidity, a disorder arising from the aerial oxidation of unsaturated fat found in food and other items and characterized by an unpleasant odor or taste.
• The unsaturated components of a fatty material when exposed to air are converted into hydroperoxides, which break down into volatile aldehydes, esters, alcohols, ketones, and hydrocarbons, some with unpleasant odors.
• By the above method and by hydrolysis, which releases volatile and malodorous acids, especially butyric acid, butter becomes rancid. Saturated fats, such as beef tallow, are oxidation-resistant and seldom become rancid at normal temperatures.

• Corrosion is a natural process which converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable form, such as oxide, hydroxide, or sulfide.
• In Earth science, erosion is the action of surface processes that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one position on the Earth's crust and then transports it to another.
• Ductility is a mechanical property generally defined as the suitability of a material for drawing.