On the glyceride composition of animal fats

Summary In agreement with comments of Hilditch but in contrast with certain other statements in the literature it is concluded that lard, beef tallow, and mutton tallow are non‐random in distribution of fatty acid chains among their glycerides. From thermal and x‐ray diffraction techniques applied to S3, S2U, SU2, and U3 fractions of these fats and to the various products of complete hydrogenation it is concluded that lard is composed largely of 2‐palmityl glycerides as proposed by Hilditch while the tallows are composed largely of 1‐palmityl glycerides.