Keyword: winterization, clouding, crystallized

Winterization is a process whereby a small quantity of higher melting triglycerides is crystallized and removed from edible oils by filtration to avoid clouding of the liquid fractions at refrigeration temperatures. Originally, this processing was applied to cottonseed oil by subjecting the oil to ambient winter temperatures, hence the term “winterization”. Today, cottonseed oil is chilled using refrigeration and the practice has been extended to other vegetable oils.