Which term describes the breakdown of oil due to moisture?

Which term describes the breakdown of oil due to moisture?

• A. Oxidation
• B. Hydrolysis
• C. Saponification
• D. Polymerization

Answer: (B)

Moisture-driven breakdown of oil is hydrolysis. Water attacks the ester bonds in triglycerides, splitting them into glycerol and free fatty acids—a process often called lipolysis and accelerated by the presence of water. This leads to more free fatty acids, which can cause off-flavors and odors. Oxidation, by contrast, involves reaction with oxygen and forms peroxides and rancidity; saponification requires a base to convert triglycerides into soap, not just moisture; polymerization is the linking of smaller units into larger molecules under heat or catalysts. So hydrolysis is the term that best describes breakdown due to moisture.

Moisture-driven breakdown of oil is hydrolysis. Water attacks the ester bonds in triglycerides, splitting them into glycerol and free fatty acids—a process often called lipolysis and accelerated by the presence of water. This leads to more free fatty acids, which can cause off-flavors and odors. Oxidation, by contrast, involves reaction with oxygen and forms peroxides and rancidity; saponification requires a base to convert triglycerides into soap, not just moisture; polymerization is the linking of smaller units into larger molecules under heat or catalysts. So hydrolysis is the term that best describes breakdown due to moisture.