This document specifies two methods for the determination of the melting point in open capillary tubes, commonly known as the slip melting point, of animal and vegetable fats and oils (referred to as fats hereinafter).

—    Method A is only applicable to animal and vegetable fats which are solid at ambient temperature and which do not exhibit pronounced polymorphism.

—    Method B is applicable to all animal and vegetable fats which are solid at ambient temperature and is the method to be used for fats whose polymorphic behaviour is unknown.

For the determination of the slip melting point of palm oil samples the method given in Annex A shall be used.

NOTE 1   If applied to fats with pronounced polymorphism, method A will give different and less satisfactory results than method B.

NOTE 2   Fats which exhibit pronounced polymorphism are principally cocoa butter and fats containing appreciable quantities of 2-unsaturated, 1,3-saturated triacylglycerols.