Timeline of fats

This is a timeline of fats, attempting to describe the variety of fats, including saturated, unsaturated, trans fats, and interesterified fats.

Sample questions

The following are some interesting questions that can be answered by reading this timeline:

• Scientific development
• What are some of the increasing regulations having been imposed across the world on the use of fats in food products?
  • Sort the full timeline by "Event type" and look for the group of rows with value "Policy".
• What are some notable or illustrative publications on the topic of fats?
  • Sort the full timeline by "Event type" and look for the group of rows with value "Literature".
• What are some notable recommendations of fat intake issued by competent entities?
  • Sort the full timeline by "Event type" and look for the group of rows with value "Recommendation".
  • "Program launch"
• What are some notable events describing the industrialization of fats for mass consumption?
  • Sort the full timeline by "Event type" and look for the group of rows with value "Industrial development".

Big picture

Time period	Development summary	More details
Ancient times	Early history	Fatty acids are used already in very early times, specifically in the preparation of soap. The ancient Babylonians use soap as early as 2500 BC. By 800 AD–900 AD, the soap industry is well established in Germany and France.
18th–19th centuries	Early scientific development	Cholesterol in solid form is identified in the 18th century. In the 19th century Michel Eugène Chevreul stands out for his prolific research on fats. In the 19th century, one of the most important discoveries is the introduction of an industrially relevant method to split fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerin.
20th century (first half)	Recognition of fat importance	Dietary fat is recognized as a good source of energy and fat-soluble vitamins by the first part of the century. Proteins and carbohydrates are known to be indispensable dietary components by the first decade. In the 1920s, industrial hydrogenation of edible oils develops in Europe and the United States. During the first half of the century, higher-fat milk and dairy products were more costly. Lipases and colipases are isolated and characterized. In the 1930s Burr and Burr demonstrate the concept that some fatty acids may be necessary for the proper growth and development of animals. Concern over the health impacts of trans fats first emerge in the 1940s.
20th century (second half)	Recognition of potencial harm	Research on trans fatty acids begin in the 1950s. By the late 1950s, scientists demonstrate a clear link between the intake of saturated fat and heart disease, while health advocates start proposing a reduction saturated fats, such as in butter and beef, from the diets, which propells the use of margarine instead, a trend that would increase abruptly toward the 1980s. In the 1960s, essential fatty acids start being considered of importance in human nutrition. In the 1980s, an association between high intake of saturated fat and increased risk of heart disease is firmly established. In the 1990s, evidence emerges indicating that trans fats carry a higher risk for heart disease than saturated fats. Several studies conducted in this decade show a connection between trans fat and increased levels of bad cholesterol.
2000s	Policy enforcement	In the early decade, health agencies in various countries worldwide recognize the need to introduce regulations controlling the amount of trans fats used in manufactured foods.

Numerical and visual data

Google Scholar

The following table summarizes per-year mentions on Google Scholar as of October 6, 2021.

Year	"trans fat"	"saturated fat"	"fatty acid"	"triglyceride"
1900	1	2	52	19
1910	0	4	123	9
1920	0	1	171	13
1930	1	6	261	21
1940	1	14	399	41
1950	0	14	811	80
1960	2	72	2,060	376
1970	1	157	5,520	1,980
1980	6	537	9,440	3,440
1990	17	1,240	16,700	5,380
2000	83	2,570	35,300	11,000
2010	1,460	6,330	116,000	30,100
2020	2,360	9,960	68,700	32,200

Google Trends

The chart below shows Google Trends data for Fat (food), from January 2004 to October 2021, when the screenshot was taken. Interest is also ranked by country and displayed on world map.

Google Ngram Viewer

The comparative chart below shows Google Ngram Viewer data for trans fat, saturated fat, fatty acid and triglyceride from 1800 to 2019.

Wikipedia Views

The chart below shows pageviews of the English Wikipedia article Fat, from July 2015 to September 2021.

Full timeline

Year	Event type	Key topic	Fat type (when applicable)	Details	Location
800 AD	Industrial development	Fatty acid		Soap, which is a salt of a fatty acid, is produced in Germany.	Germany
1551	Scientific development	Adipose tissue		Adipose tissue – more specifically brown adipose tissue– is first identified by Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner.
1769	Scientific development	Cholesterol		François Poulletier de la Salle first identifies cholesterol in solid form in gallstones. Some consider this to be the start of the story of lipids in humans.	France
1770s	Medical development	Fish liver oil	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Reports from this time indicate that fish liver oils are used for the treatment of rickets, osteomalacia, general malnutrition, and eye conditions, thus linking, for the first time, fish liver oils and the factor termed “fat-soluble A.” Today, it is known that fish body oil and fish liver oil are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which can help control the immune system and fight joint inflammation.
1779	Scientific development	Glycerol		Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovers that glycerol could be obtained from olive oil by heating it with litharge (lead monoxide). Along with fatty acids, glycerol is one of the two main components of a fat molecule.	Sweden
1791	Scientific development	Essential oil, greasy oil		Swiss scientist Jean Senebier reports in the Encyclopédie méthodique, Physiologie végétale a classification of oils. They are separated into essential and greasy oils.	Switzerland
1792	Scientific development	Oil oxidation		Jean Senebier observes that exposure to air causes oils to go white, lose their fluidity, and in time go rancid. Further investigation convinces him that rancidity involves oxidation.	Switzerland
1813	Scientific development	Fatty acid		The concept of fatty acid (acide gras) is introduced by Michel Eugène Chevreul, though he initially uses some variant terms: graisse acide and acide huileux ("acid fat" and "oily acid").	France
1814	Scientific development	Butyric acid	Saturated	French chemist Michel-Eugène Chevreul first observes butyric acid. By 1818, he purifies it sufficiently to characterize it.	France
1814	Scientific development	Oil body		Michel-Eugène Chevreul shows that hog’s lard consists of two distinct oily bodies: one being a solid at room temperature and the other, a liquid.	France
1815	Scientific development	Cholesterol		Michel-Eugène Chevreul demonstrates the chemical nature of fats and oils. He also names the compound "cholesterine".	France
1815	Scientific development	Lipid		Henri Braconnot classifies lipids (graisses) in two categories, suifs (solid greases or tallow) and huiles (fluid oils).	France
1816	Scientific development	Caproic acid	Saturated	Michel-Eugène Chevreul first isolates caproic acid (from the Latin word caper, meaning goat) from butter. A saturated medium-chain fatty acid with a 6-carbon backbone, caproic acid is found naturally in various plant and animal fats and oils. This fatty acid works as an anti-viral, as well as boots energy, and promotes weight loss.	France
1819	Scientific development	Elaidic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	French chemist Jean-Joseph-Etienne Poutet from Marseille first obtains elaidic acid, a monounsaturated trans fatty acid.	France
1823	Scientific development	Lipid classification		French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul develops a more detailed classification of lipids, including oils, greases, tallow, waxes, resins, balsams and volatile oils (or essential oils).	France
1823	Scientific development	Stearic acid	Saturated	Michel Eugène Chevreul first describes stearic acid, named from the Greek word stéar, meaning tallow (also known as beef fat).	France
1823	Scientific development	Oleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	Michel Eugène Chevreul first recognizes oleic acid in pork fat. Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils.	France
1823	Literature			Michel Eugène Chevreul publishes Chemistry of Fats and Oils.	France
1825	Scientific development	Fatty acids distillation		Distillation of fatty acids is achieved.
1827	Scientific development	Fat as nutrient		English chemist William Prout recognizes fat ("oily" alimentary matters), along with protein ("albuminous") and carbohydrate ("saccharine"), as an important nutrient for humans and animals.	United Kingdom
1828	Scientific development	Fatty acid separation		A method for separation of solid and liquid fatty acids is obtained.
1832	Scientific development	Elaidic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	F. Boudet, studying accurately J.J.E. Poutet’s work, manages to isolate elaidic acid, and names it acide élaidique.
1840	Scientific development	Palmitic acid	Saturated	French chemist Edmond Frémy discovers palmitic acid in saponified palm oil.	France
1841	Scientific development	Myristic acid	Saturated	Lyon Playfair first isolates myristic acid from nutmeg (Myristica fragrans).
1842	Scientific development	Lauric acid	Saturated	T. Marsson discovers lauric acid in the seeds of Laurus nobilis, from which its name.
1844	Scientific development	Triglyceride, fat interesterification	Interesterified	The first synthetic triglyceride is reported by Théophile-Jules Pelouze, who manages to produce tributyrin by treating butyric acid with glycerin in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid. This is the earliest record of enzymatic Interesterification.	France
1844	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Linoleic acid (from the Latin linon, meaning flax, plus oleic, meaning oil or olive oil) is isolated by F. Sacc from linseed oil. It is a polyunsaturated essential fatty acid found mostly in plant oils.
1844	Scientific development	Propionic acid	Saturated	Austrian chemist Johann Gottlieb first describes propionic acid, after finding it among the degradation products of sugar.
1847	Scientific development	Phospholipid		French pharmacist Theodore Nicolas Gobley discovers phospholipids in mammalian brain and hen egg, called by him as "lecithins".	France
1848	Scientific development	Behenic acid	Saturated	Behenic acid is first reported by A. Voelcker.
1848	Scientific development	Ricinoleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	Ricinoleic acid is discovered.
1849	Scientific development	Pancreatic juice		French physiologist Claude Bernard reports that pancreatic juice is involved in the breakdown of fat to glycerine and fatty acids for subsequent absorption.	France
1849	Scientific development	Erucic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	Erucic acid is discovered.
1852	Scientific development	Polymorphism		Polymorphism is discovered. Today, an important quality parameter in fat research as well as in industrial applications is the polymorphic state of edible fats.
1853	Scientific development	Gylceride		The term gylceride is first used.
1854	Scientific development	Triglyceride (triacetin)		Triacetin is first prepared by French chemist Marcellin Berthelot.	France
1854	Scientific development	Palmitoleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−7))	P.G. Hofstädter first notices palmitoleic acid in sperm whale oil and names physetoleic acid.
1855	Scientific development	Glycerol		The correct structure of glycerol is determined.
1856	Scientific development	Lipid		German pathologist Rudolf Virchow first describes lipid accumulation in arterial walls.	Germany
1869	Scientific development	Margarine	Unsaturated	French chemist Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès invents the margarine. In the same year, he wins a prize offered by Napoleon III for a satisfactory butter substitute. Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These types of fats help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL).	France
1876	Scientific development	Cholesterol		German chemist Adolf Windaus reports that plaques in aortas from atherosclerosis patients contain 20 times more cholesterol than normal aortas.	Germany
1879	Scientific development	Lipid		The Soxhlet extractor is invented by German chemist Franz von Soxhlet. It is originally designed for the extraction of a lipid from a solid material.
1881	Scientific development	Hydroxy myristic acid		Hydroxy myristic acid is discovered.
1886	Scientific development	Brassidic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated)	Brassidic acid is first prepared from erucic acid by W. Reimer. It is an unsaturated fatty acid, member of the sub-group called very long chain fatty acids.
1886	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	The diene structure of linoleic acid is determined.
1887	Scientific development	alpha-Linolenic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	alpha-Linolenic acid is isolated by K. Hazura and Monatsh. First found in hempseed oil, it is a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in plants.
1887	Scientific development	Triene acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated)	Triene acid in hempseed oil is determined.
1888	Scientific development	Cholesterol		Friedrich Reinitzer describes the molecular structure of cholesterol.
1890	Scientific development			It is written that “fat stands between the two great nutrients, proteids (proteins) on the one hand and carbohydrates on the other, and we find that we can indulge in considerable latitude as to its use. When we wish to get our food in a more condensed form, we can use fats freely.”
1892	Scientific development	Acetylenic acid		The first acetylenic acid is reported.
1894	Scientific development	Ricinoleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	The correct structure of ricinoleic acid is determined.
1895	Literature	Fat chemistry		The first book on the chemistry of fats and oils is published.
1897	Scientific development	Hydrogenation		French chemist Paul Sabatier describes the hydrogenation of organic compounds in the presence of finely disintegrated metals. Catalytic hydrogenation is considered a major advance in fatty acid chemistry. Sabatier would be later awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry.	France
1898	Scientific development	Fat-splitting		United States chemist Ernst Twitchell patents a catalytic method for fat-splitting. Later known as the Twitchell process, it consists in acid catalyst being prepared by the reaction of oleic acid with sulfuric acid and naphthalene.	United States
1898	Scientific development	Chromatography		Liquid chromatography is reported as a purification method of fatty acids.
1898	Scientific development	Oleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	The structure of oleic acid is elucidated by the works of J. Baruch and F.G. Edmed. It is a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid.
1900	Scientific development	Benzenestearosulphonic acid		Ernst Twitchell reports that treatment of oleic acid and benzene with concentrated sulfuric acid yields benzene stearosulphonic acid useful as a fat-splitting reagent.
1900	Industrial development	Oil extraction		The first continuous screw press for extracting oil from oil seeds is manufactured V. D. Anderson in Cleveland, Ohio. Called the "expeller", it is much more efficient than earlier hydraulic presses, but it still leaves much of the oil in the meal and much room, therefore, for improvement.	United States
1901	Scientific development	Hydrogenation		German chemist Wilhelm Normann experiments with hydrogenation catalysts and successfully induces the hydrogenation of liquid fat, producing semisolid fat, which came to be known as trans fat.	Germany
1902	Scientific development	Fat deposition		Rosenfeld shows that a high-carbohydrate, low protein diet results in fat deposition.
1903	Scientific development	Hydrogenation		German chemist Wilhelm Normann patents the hydrogenation of liquid oils, which "converts unsaturated fatty acids into saturated compounds".	Germany
1904	Scientific development	Cyclopentyl acid		The first cyclopentyl acid is discovered.
1905	Scientific development	Purified fat		Pekelharing observes that mice could not grow optimally while consuming only a mixture of purified fat, carbohydrate, and protein.
1906	Scientific development	Palmitoleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−7))	H. Bull discovers the molecular composition of palmitoleic acid, at the time when Lewkowitsch gives the present name.
1906	Scientific development	Gadoleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−11))	H. Bull discovers gadoleic acid in cod liver oil.
1906	Industrial development	Hydrogenation		Joseph Crosfields & Sons in Warrington, England, begin industrial hydrogenation in Europe.	United Kingdom
1908	Scientific development	Penta-2,3-dienedioic acid		Penta-2,3-dienedioic acid is isolated from the leaf resin of European alder Alnus glutinosa (Betulaceae).
1909	Scientific development	Cholesterol, atherosclerosis		Alexander I. Ignatowski describes the relationship between a diet rich in cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
1909	Scientific development	alpha-Linolenic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	The exact structure of alpha-Linolenic acid is clarified by E. Erdmann et al. This fatty acid is popular for preventing and treating diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
1909	Scientific development	Petroselinic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−11))	Petroselinic acid is first isolated from parsley seed oil.
1910	Scientific development	Cholesterol, atherosclerosis		Windaus demonstrates that atherosclerotic lesions contain six times more free cholesterol and 20 times more esterified cholesterol compared with the healthy arterial wall.
1911	Industrial development	Shortening	Trans fat	After acquiring the US rights to Normann’s patent, Procter & Gamble introduces Crisco (short for crystallized cotton oil), the first food product that contains trans fat. It is a solid vegetable fat made by hydrogenating cottonseed oil, thus providing a lost-cost, vegetable-derived alternative to butter and lard. This is the first all-vegetable household shortening with cottonseed oil.	United States
1911	Industrial development	Soybean oil		The first commercial quantities of soybeans are imported into the United States from Manchuria and are crushed for oil.	United States
1912	Scientific development	Lipid		Jacob Rosenbloom and William J. Gies propose the substitution of "lipoid" by "lipin".
1912	Scientific development	Fat-soluble vitamin A		American biochemist Elmer McCollum at the University of Wisconsin begins using rats instead of humans in his experiments rather than cows and sheep. He finds the first fat-soluble vitamin, Vitamin A, and discovers that rats are healthier when they are fed butter rather than lard, as butter contains more Vitamin A.	United States
1912	Industrial development	Hydrogenated fat		Hydrogenated fats appear on the market. Today, they still remain the most important raw material in margarine and shortening.
1913	Scientific development	Cholesterol		Anitschkow shows that it is possible to establish atherosclerosis in rabbits by feeding cholesterol. Since then virtually all research on atherosclerosis would be centered on both circulating cholesterol and dietary cholesterol.
1913	Scientific development	Arachidonic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Dyerberg and Bang identify very small amounts of an unsaturated fatty acid contained in Eskimos’ blood. They name it arachidonic acid because it is the same length as arachidic acid, a saturated fat found in peanuts, but has multiple double bonds.
1913	Scientific development	Fat-soluble vitamin A		A “fat-soluble A” factor necessary to support life is identified. This factor is thought to cure xerophthalmia and rickets.
1913	Scientific development	Cholesterol, atherosclerosis		Russian pathologist Nikolay Anichkov demonstrates that cholesterol and fat gives rise to atherosclerotic changes in the vessel walls of rabbits, and atherosclerosis occurs by direct deposition of fat in the vascular wall.	Russia
1918	Scientific development	Fat as nutrient		German physician Hans Aron in Breslau is arguably the first to suggest that fats have nutritional functions other than provision of food energy. This is the first evidence of the existence of fatty acids. "The first indication that dietary fat may be essential for healthy growing animals was presented in 1918 by Aron (1918) who proposed that butter has a nutrient value that cannot be provided by other dietary components."	Germany
1918	Scientific development	Continuous centrifuge		Continuous centrifuge is patented as a method to separate both solids and immiscible liquids.
1919	Scientific development	Essential fatty acid		Von Groer reports on two infants who were on skim milk diets for 9 months and had retarded growth, poor appetite, and possible respiratory infections. After their diets were supplemented with essential fatty acid for several months, these infants are found to be healthy, with a normal growth rate and weight gain.
1920	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Meyerhof finds that linoleic acid and sulphur-rich proteins work together to help fatigued muscle recover rapidly from exercise and exertion.
1920	Scientific development	Fat interesterification	Interesterified	Wilhelm Norman, who also patented the catalytic hydrogenation of fatty acids, is granted a patent for the chemical interesterification of edible lipids.
1920	Scientific development	Dimer acid		Dimer acids are discovered.
1920	Scientific development	Lipid		Bloor introduces a new classification for "lipoids": simple lipoids (greases and waxes), compound lipoids (phospholipoids and glycolipoids), and the derived lipoids (fatty acids, alcohols, sterols).
1921	Scientific development			The separation of solid and liquid fatty acids is first obtained.
1923	Scientific development	Lipid		The word lipide, which stems etymologically from Greek λίπος, lipos 'fat', is introduced by French pharmacologist Gabriel Bertrand.
1923	Scientific development	Continuous refining		Continuous refining of fats is patented.
1924	Scientific development	Lipid (chylomicron)		Simon Henry Gage and Pierre Augustine Fish show that after a fatty meal human blood contains tiny particles (1 µm) called chylomicrons.
1924	Scientific development	Fat interesterification		Industrial fat interesterification is patented.
1924	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Albert Szent-Györgyi discovers that the system of sulphur-rich protein and linoleic acid takes up oxygen. However, he lacks the biochemical techniques to prove the identity of the components of this system conclusively.
1925	Scientific development	Palmitoleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−7))	E.F. Armstrong et al. establish the structure of palmitoleic acid as an unsaturated fatty acid.
1926	Scientific development			German physiologist Otto Heinrich Warburg shows that a fatty substance is required to restart oxidation when it is low, as is the case in cancer and other degenerative conditions.
1927	Scientific development	Fat deficiency		American scientists Herbert McLean Evans and George Oswald Burr demonstrate that, despite the addition of vitamins A, D, and E to the diet, a deficiency of fat severely affects both growth and reproduction of experimental animals.	United States
1927	Scientific development	Fat classification		A method for classifying fats is introduced.
1927	Scientific development	Nervonic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	M. Tsujimoto discovers nervonic acid in fats of Elasmobranchii, a subclass of chondrichthyes including fishes with fusiform (selachii like sharks from with its first name selacholeic acid) or flatten (batoidea like ray) bodies.
1929	Scientific development	Dietary fatty acid	Unsaturated	George and Mildred Burr report that dietary fatty acid is required to prevent a deficiency disease that occurs in rats fed a fat-free diet. They conclude that fatty acids are essential nutrients and show that linoleic acid prevents the disease and is an essential fatty acid. The Burrs surmise that other unsaturated fatty acids are essential and subsequently demonstrate that linolenic acid, the omega-3 fatty acid analog of linoleic acid, is also an essential fatty acid.	United States
1929	Scientific development	Isomerization		Isomerization during hydrogenation is reported.
1930	Industrial development	Margarine		The votator is patented. It is used for the continuous manufacture of margarine.
1930	Scientific development	Prostaglandin	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Gynecologists working with artificial insemination report that extracts of seminal fluid cause uterine tissue to contract. This observation leads to the discovery of the important cell messengers called prostaglandins, which are first isolated from the prostate gland of sheep, from which they are given the name.
1931	Scientific development	X-ray crystallography		X-ray diffraction is first used for fatty acids.
1931	Industrial development	Fat-splitting		Continuous fat-splitting is patented.
1931	Industrial development	Edible oil		Henry Ford plants 500 acres of soybeans in Dearborn, Michigan. After the Second World War, and after soybean production takes off, the United States would be able to export edible oils.	United States
1932	Industrial development	Spry vegetable shortening		Spry vegetable shortening is introduced by Lever Brothers.
1933	Scientific development	Gadoleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−11))	M.Takano clarifies the structure of gadoleic acid.
1933	Industrial development	Fatty acid distillation		Distillation of fatty acids is patented.
1933	Industrial development	Shortening		Procter & Gamble implements a significant change for shortenings, adding mono- and diglycerides, which dramatically improves the performance of baking shortenings. This improvement is tempered somewhat for household shortenings because of the required all-purpose performance.
1933	Industrial development	Shortening		Superglycerinated high-ratio shortenings are introduced. This would bring significant changes for the baker and the shortening industry. These shortenings contain mono- and diglycerides, which contribute to a finer dispersion of fat particles in cake batters, causing a greater number of smaller-sized fat globules that strengthen the batters.
1934	Scientific development	Oleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−9))	Oleic acid is synthesized for the first time by C.R. Noller et al. Today, studies suggest that oleic acid reduces inflammation and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.
1934	Industrial development			The first continuous countercurrent solvent extraction plant in the United States is opened by Archer Daniels Midland Company. The plant uses hexane as the solvent and a 100-tons-per-day Hildebrandt extractor from Germany. By the late 1940s, much of the oil seed–crushing industry would from screw presses to far more efficient solvent extraction.	United States
1934	Scientific development	Centrifugal refining		Centrifugal refining is introduced.
1936	Industrial development	Fatty acid distillation		Distillation of fatty acids is patented.
1936	Industrial development	Shortening		Primex shortening is marketed. An all-purpose shortening with a neutral flavor and buttery appearance, it is used for donut frying, pie doughs, cookies, and other bakery applications.
1937	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Conjugation of linoleic acid by alkali is obtained.
1938	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	George and Mildred Burr are unable to prove that linoleic acid is essential for humans. This question would remain unresolved until the 1960s.
1938	Scientific development	Monoglyceride, diglyceride		The first U.S. patents for mono- and diglycerides is granted.	United States
1938	Scientific development	Santalbic acid		Santalbic acid is first discovered in the seeds of Santalum album.
1939	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	The exact structure of linoleic acid is clarified by English chemist Thomas Percy Hilditch et al.	United Kingdom
1940	Industrial development			M.F. Bengen first describes the technique of formation of crystalline urea fatty acid complexes, which today is a well-known technique to fractionate fatty acids and is used to separate straight chain compounds found in milk.	Germany
1940	Industrial development	Fatty amines/nitriles		Fatty amines/nitriles are patented.
1940	Literature			Thomas Percy Hilditch publishes The Chemical Composition of Natural Oils, which would be considered a seminal and influential contribution to chemical analysis of oils.
1945	Literature			American chemist Alton E. Bailey publishes Industrial Oil and Fat Products.	United States
1945	Scientific development	Fatty acid displacement analysis		Displacement analysis for fatty acids is reported.
1945	Scientific development	Fatty acid oxidation		Relative rates of fatty acid oxidation is reported.
1947	Literature	Natural fat		Thomas Percy Hilditch publishes The chemical constitution of natural fats, which would become famous. Hilditch claims that “unanimity has not yet been reached in the terminology to be adopted in classifying the various types of naturally occurring compounds in which fatty acids are present … even a collective title for the whole group is not completely settled“.	United Kingdom
1947	Industrial development	Shortening		Swiftning shortening is marketed.
1948	Industrial development	Fat interesterification		Directed interesterification is reported. This process would be put into successful factory use on lard shortenings. Directed interesterification increases the fraction of high melting solids (trisaturated glycerides) and decreases the fraction of intermediate melting glycerides (disaturated glycerides) in lard.
1950	Market trend			A broad dietary shift from animal fats begins, favoring liquid oil products. U.S. consumers become increasingly aware of the role of fats and oils in coronary disease, and start replacing solid shortenings with liquid oils.	United States
1950	Scientific development	Obesity		Genetically obese mice are first described.
1950	Scientific development	Fat melting/solidification		Bailey publishes melting and solidification of fats.
1950	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	American biochemist Ralph Holman and a graduate student discover that linoleic acid is the precursor of arachidonic acid and that alpha-Linolenic acid is the precursor of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid.	United States
1950	Scientific development	Mycolic acid		Asselineau and Lederer describe the first structure of mycolic acids as α-branched, β-hydroxylated long-chain fatty acids, a feature that confers to the molecule the property to be cleaved at high temperature into a "mero"aldehyde main chain, also called "meromycolic" chain, and a "fatty acid", a reaction similar to a reverse Claisen type condensation.
1950	Scientific development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Linoleic acid is synthesized by British chemist Ralph Raphael and German-born British chemist Franz Sondheimer.	United Kingdom
1950–1970	Market trend	Edible vegetable oils		In 1950, the food fat marketed in the United States is split approximately equally between animal fats (lard, tallow and butter) and edible vegetable oils. By 1970, edible vegetable oils would account for three-fourths of the total and animal fats only one-fourth.	United States
1951	Scientific development	Chromatography		English scientists Archer Martin and A. J. James perfect the first gas-liquid chromatograph, a powerful analytical and purification tool that enables scientists to separate the many different fatty acids in tissues and foods. For this work, they are later awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1952.	United Kingdom
1951	Scientific development	Linolenic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Herbert Dutton proves that linolenic acid is the cause of the off flavors and odors in soybean oil. This would lead to the expanded use of partial or selective hydrogenation to eliminate this fat.
1952	Scientific development	Eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	An early epidemiological study conducted in Norway finds a lower incidence of multiple sclerosis in coastal communities with a high consumption of fish (high eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid intakes) compared to communities with a high consumption of animal fat.	Norway
1953	Scientific development	Sterol		The plasma cholesterol-lowering properties of plant sterols are described by Pollak.
1953	Scientific development	Fat, heart disease		Ancel Keys publishes a chart which directly correlates the incidence of heart disease with the total fat intake of a population.
1955	Scientific development	Triglyceride		Synthesis of mixed acid triglyceride is introduced.
1955	Scientific development	Trans fat		Trans fatty acids are found to be naturally present in ruminants but not nonruminants.
1955	Industrial development	Shortening		Golden Fluffo shortening is marketed.
1956	Scientific development	Fat distribution		French physician Jean Vague becomes the first to show the importance of fat distribution in relation to various diseases, describing what he terms ‘android’ and ‘gynoid’ types of obesity.	France
1956	Scientific development	Chromatography		Stahl advances thin-layer chromatography.
1956	Scientific development	alpha-Linolenic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	alpha-Linolenic acid is synthesized by Nigama and Weedon. This fatty acid has an antithrombotic effect. It has a role as a micronutrient, a nutraceutical and a mouse metabolite.
1957	Scientific development	Lipid		Kummerow and colleagues find that lipid extracts of tissue specimens from 24 human subjects who died of heart disease contain ≤12.2% trans fatty acids in their adipose tissue, 14.4% in the liver, 9.3% in heart tissue, 8.8% in aortic tissue, and 8.8% in atheroma.
1957	Scientific development	Prostaglandin	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Sune Bergström isolates the first prostaglandins. These are lipid autacoids derived from arachidonic acid.
1957	Industrial development	Extrusion		Extrusion is developed and patented as a method for microencapsulation of polyunsaturated fatty acid-rich oil emulsions. Extrusion process is found to produce less porous material compared to spray drying; however, it increases production cost as compared to spray drying and use of screw extruders at high pressure are highly detrimental to omega-3 fatty acids.
1958	Scientific development	Essential fatty acid deficiency		Essential fatty acid deficiency in humans is first described by Arild Hansen et al., in infants fed a milk-based formula lacking them.
1959	Scientific development	Mead acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−9))	James F. Mead at UCLA first identifies what would be named mead acid.	United States
1959	Scientific development	Microemulsion		Microemulsion is first prepared by Hoar and Schulman, by dispersing oil in an aqueous solution of surfactant where alcohol is used as cosurfactant. This forms stable, transparent oil-in-water formulation. The term "microemulsion" is coined by Schulman et al. in this year.
1960	Scientific development	Glyceride		A theory of glyceride structures is proposed.
1960	Scientific development	Trienoic/tetraenoic acid ratio		Ralph Holman introduces the concept of the trienoic/tetraenoic acid ratio as an indicator of the severity of essential fatty acid deficiency in rats. He later demonstrates its applicability to other species. A ratio of 0.4 or greater is considered indicaive of EFA deficiency. Later in 1970, Holman would suggest that the upper limit of normality is a ratio of 0.2 for humans.
1961	Industrial development	Hydrogenation		Hydrogenated winterized soybean oil is marketed.
1963	Scientific development	Essential fatty acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated)	Arild Hansen and colleagues demonstrate for the first time that humans require the dietary intake of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that the body is unable to synthesize. These PUFAs are therefore referred to as essential fatty acids.
1963	Policy	Fatty acid		The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) is created to develop food standards, guidelines and related texts such as codes of practice under the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organisation Food Standards Programme. Under the Guidelines for Nutrition Labelling of Codex, trans fatty acids must be declared where the amount and/or type of fatty acids or the amount of cholesterol is declared on a label.
1964	Scientific development	Fatty acid		Konrad Bloch and Feodor Lynen share the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning some of the mechanisms and methods of regulation of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism.
1964	Literature			Klare Markley publishes Fatty acids, an extensive five volume set on the chemistry of fatty acids.
1964	Scientific development	Prostaglandin	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	Swedish biochemist Sune Bergström and Dutch chemist David Adriaan van Dorp demonstrate that prostaglandins are made from twenty-carbon fatty acids, such as arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acid. Thanks to these scientists, fatty acids are found to be the precursors for the synthesis of prostaglandins.
1964	Scientific development			Ralph Holman proposes a new system for naming the different families of unsaturated fatty acids, the omega system, and hypothesizes that the different families compete for the same elongation and desaturation enzymes.
1965	Scientific development	Cholesterol		Keys et al. and Hegsted et al. independently develop formulae for predicting changes in cholesterol levels based on changes in the diet. Their formulae are based upon changes in quantity of saturated and unsaturated fat and in dietary cholesterol.
1965	Recommendation			The American Heart Association deletes the recommendation to decrease the intake of hydrogenated fats and removes a negative reference to the trans fatty acids. The revised statement encourages the consumption of partially hydrogenated fats.	United States
1966	Scientific development			Larsson first describes the crystal structure of pure, racemic 1-monoglycerides, which would be later reviewed by Small in 1986 and Larsson in 1994.
1967	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Trout are the first animal to be recognized as requiring omega-3 fatty acids, as those raised with corn oil as the only fat in their diet develop a shock syndrome and suffer a high mortality.
1967	Scientific development			Gunstone claims that over 300 fatty acids are known in nature at this time.
1968	Scientific development			Michael Crawford shows that the fats of domestic animals are much more saturated than the fats of wild animals.
1968	Scientific development	Saturated monoglyceride		Krog and Larsson first publish binary phase diagrams of distilled saturated monoglycerides based on hydrogenated lard.
1969	Industrial development	Margarine		Trans-free margarine is patented, mentioning Fondu and Willems as its inventors. It describes a hardstock that is obtained by interesterifying palm stearin with a lauric oil. However, neither of these components is hydrogenated, and consequently, the interesterification product contains quite a large proportion of triglycerides that do not contribute to blend consistency but nevertheless introduce saturated fatty acids.
1972	Scientific development	Docosahexaenoic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Michael Crawford shows that docosahexaenoic acid is important to brain function.
1972	Scientific development	Methyl oleate		Self-metathesis of methyl oleate is first reported. It gives dimethyl octadec-9-ene-1,18-dioate and octadec-9-ene as products.
1972	Scientific development	Fish oil	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Hans Olaf Bang and Jørn Dyerberg report that compared to Danes, Greenland Eskimos have lower levels of heart disease —and of serum cholesterol and triglycerides, despite a diet rich in fat and blubber. This is associated with polyunsaturated fatty acid in fish oil.
1973	Scientific development	Prostaglandin	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	American nutritional biochemist William E.M. Lands reports that prostaglandins made from omega-3 fatty acids are much less inflammatory than those made from omega-6 fatty acids, a finding that would lead to the use of fish oil in treating patients with arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, dysmenorrhea, and other inflammatory disorders.	United States
1973	Industrial development			Commercial whaling is banned in the United States. As a result, jojoba oil (a long-chain wax ester) is brought to commercialization as a result of research done at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research.	United States
1974	Scientific development			Metathesis for synthesis of mono- and dicarboxylic acids.
1975	Policy	Saturated fat, polyunsaturated fatty acid, cholesterol	Saturated, Unsaturated	Guidelines for voluntary nutrition labeling start taking effect in the United States. Foods are labeled on the basis of total, saturated (lauric, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids), and polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol content. These standards are established based on the observed association between saturated fat intake and risk of cardiovascular disease.	United States
1975	Market			The world market for edible fats and oils is over 41 million tons in this year, with products sold for almost 29 billion dollars.	Worldwide
1975	Scientific development	Docosahexaenoic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Robert Anderson identifies docosahexaenoic acid as a key part of the eye’s photoreceptor.
1976	Scientific development	Trans fat, coronary artery disease	Saturated, trans fat	The Nurses' Health Study is incepted as a cohort study following 120,000 female nurses. The researchers would analyze data from 900 coronary events from the study's population during 14 years of followup, and would determine that a nurse's coronary artery disease (CAD) risk roughly doubled (relative risk of 1.93, confidence interval: 1.43 to 2.61) for each 2% increase in trans fat calories consumed (instead of carbohydrate calories). By contrast, for each 5% increase in saturated fat calories (instead of carbohydrate calories) there was a 17% increase in risk (relative risk of 1.17, CI: 0.97 to 1.41). The replacement of saturated fat or trans unsaturated fat by cis (unhydrogenated) unsaturated fats is associated with larger reductions in risk than an isocaloric replacement by carbohydrates. The researchers would also report on the benefits of reducing trans fat consumption. Replacing 2% of food energy from trans fat with non-trans unsaturated fats more than halves the risk of CAD (53%). By comparison, replacing a larger 5% of food energy from saturated fat with non-trans unsaturated fats reduces the risk of CAD by 43%. This study provides the major evidence for the effect of trans fat on coronary artery disease.	United States
1976	Scientific development	Lipid		A summary of the lipid hypothesis describes it as: "measures used to lower the plasma lipids in patients with hyperlipidemia will lead to reductions in new events of coronary heart disease".
1977	Scientific development			The World Health Organization issues a repport concluding that infant formulas should match the milk from well-nourished mothers with respect both to parent and long-chain fatty acids and to the balance of the omega-6 and omega-3 families.
1977	Industrial development	Linoleic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−6))	United States FDA approves of Intralipid, a linoleic acid-rich lipid emulsion made with soybean oil, phospholipids, and glycerol. This marks the beginning of parenteral use of fats in the United States.	United States
1977	Industrial development	Enzymatic interesterification		Enzymatic interesterification is patented. However, its early use is very limited until later when immobilized enzymes become affordable for large-scale industrial use. Today, enzymatic interesterification is widely used for the production of low-TFA plastic fats for numerous applications.
1978	Scientific development	Eicosapentaenoic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	J.Dyerberg et al. suggest that eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fat, plays a role in the prevention of thrombosis and atherosclerosis.
1979	Literature	Fatty Acid		Everett Pryde publishes Fatty Acids, which covers the fatty acid literature up to date.
1980	Recommendation		Saturated	The United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health and Human Services jointly release the first Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These reports emphasize a leading harmful role of saturated fats.	United States
1983	Scientific development	Ischemic heart disease		Researchers show that the concentration of trans 18:1 and 16:1 fatty acids is 6.8% higher in the adipose tissue of individuals who died of ischemic heart disease compared with individuals who died of other causes.
1984	Recommendation	Fat		The United Kingdom issues dietary guidelines similar to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans issued in 1980. Both guidelines recommend reducing overall fat consumption to 30% of total calories, and saturated fat to no more than 10% of calories. These values would remain essentially unchanged in subsequent iterations.	United Kingdom
1984	Industrial development	Oleic acid	Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−9))	High-oleic seed is grown commercially in the United States for the first time in North Dakota, California, and Texas.	United States
1984–1986	Intake	Trans fat		Hunter and Applewhite report an estimate of trans fatty acids available for consumption in the U.S. diet for 1984 of 7.6 g/person/day. A similar value, 8.3 g/person/day, is obtained independently by a Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Review Panel on Trans Fatty Acids.
1985	Recommendation	Cholesterol		Health organizations begin recommending diet modifications to lower serum cholesterol levels.
1985	Program launch	Cholesterol		The National Institutes of Health establishes the National Cholesterol Education Program.	United States
1985	Scientific development	Cholesterol		American researchers Michael Stuart Brown and Joseph L. Goldstein receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on genetic causes for high levels of cholesterol in the blood that can lead to heart disease at a young age.	United States
1985	Intake			In this year, Americans consume approximately 36%–37% of their calories as fat, which is comprised of 13.2% saturated, 13.8% monounsaturated, and 7.0% polyunsaturated fatty acids.	United States
1985	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω-3, ω-6))	Scientists begin linking an imbalance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids to numerous diseases, raising questions about the food supply of Western countries.
1985	Industrial development	Canola oil		Canola oil is granted the status of Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) by the United States FDA, and starts being commercialized.	United States
1985	Industrial development	Microbial oil		Microbial oils are introduced into the marketplace. Since then, these would gradually become of increasing importance and value in the niche market of high-value nutraceuticals.
1985	Industrial development	Canola oil	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Canola oil is introduced into the United States. Being high in alpha linolenic acid, the parent omega-3, canola oil is associated with good health as is responsible for a small increase in the omega-3 content in modern western diet in the following decades.	United States
1985	Industrial development	Linolenic acid	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	The first single cell oil is launched. This microbial oil is rich in gamma-linolenic acid and is produced using the fungus Mucor circinelloides. This would prompt the appreciation that, with being a novel product, it would have to undergo stringent trials before it could be sold to the general public.
1986	Industrial development	Partially hydrogenated oil	Saturated	McDonald's replaces the saturated fats in some of its products with partially hydrogenated oils, the major source of trans fats.
1986	Scientific development	Docosahexaenoic acid		Docosahexaenoic acid is discovered in bacteria.
1986	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	American endocrinologist Artemis Simopoulos reports that there are more omega-3 fatty acids in leaves than in seeds—and in the leaves of wild plants like purslane than in cultivated plants.	United States
1987	Recommendation	Cholesterol		The report of National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panels suggests the total blood cholesterol level should be: < 200 mg/dL normal blood cholesterol, 200–239 mg/dL borderline-high, > 240 mg/dL high cholesterol.
1987	Scientific development	Fish oil	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Leonard Storlien from University of Sydney finds that fish oil prevents insulin resistance and obesity in rats.
1987	Medical development	Cholesterol		Lovastatin (sold under the brand name Mevacor among others) is approved for medical use. It is used for treating high blood cholesterol and reduceing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
1987	Policy	Fish oil (menhaden)	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Federal approval for the use of partially hydrogenated menhaden oil in food products is granted in the United States.	United States
1988	Publication	Lipid		The National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel I (NCEP–ATP I) develops its first set of guidelines, establishing clear goals for patients with lipid abnormalities.	United States
1988	Scientific development	Trans fatty acid		The first hypotheses are formulated concerning the effect of eating trans fatty acids on risk of coronary diseases.
1989	Scientific development	Fish	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	A number of trials reveal the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in preventing death from myocardial infarction. Similar findings report that fish consumption as low as 35 grams per day, or about one serving a week, significantly reduces the risk of myocardial infarction.
1989	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Dennis Hoffman first finds significant differences in the visual and mental acuity of infants raised on formulas with and without omega-3 fatty acids.
1989	Medical development	Lipid		Pravastatin (sold under the brand name Pravachol) is approved for medical use. It is used for treatment of blood lipids.
1990	Policy	Fat		The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 becomes effective in the United States. It focuses on saturated fat (redefined as all saturated fatty acids) and calls for it to be labeled based on grams per serving and percentage of total energy. The labeling of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids is deemed optional. These standards are based on the association between saturated fat intake and risk of cardiovascular disease, but also on observed associations with certain forms of cancer, diabetes, and other diseases.	United States
1990	Scientific development	Cholesterol		Mensink and Katan demonstrate the plasma cholesterol-raising effect of industrially produced trans-octadecenoic acids in human volunteers.
1990	Scientific development	Trans fat, cholesterol		A large, well-controlled study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows Conclusively that trans-fatty acids increase total cholesterol and "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL), both of which are correlated with increased cardiovascular disease, disproving manufacturers’ advertising which claims that suggest that margarines can be good for the health of the heart.
1990	Scientific development		Trans fat	A Dutch study reports that the trans fatty acids do have an adverse effect on serum cholesterol.	Netherlands
1990	Scientific development		Trans fat	An Institute of Medicine report determines that trans fats have "no deleterious effects" on human health.	United States
1991	Intake		Trans fat	Hunter and Applewhite update their estimate of trans fatty acid availability in the U.S. diet for 1989 to be 8.1 g/person/day.	United States
1991	Recommendation		Trans fat	The British Committee on Medical Aspects of Health (COMA) recommends that trans fatty acids be limited to 2% of the caloric (energy) intake.	United Kingdom
1991	Organization			The International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) is founded. With more than 500 members from more than 40 countries, it is the foremost International Scientific Society dealing exclusively with the health impact of dietary lipids.
1992	Medical development	Lipid		Simvastatin (sold under the brand name Zocor) is approved for medical use. It is a lipid-lowering medication.
1993	Recommendation	Partially hydrogenated oil		Health advocacy groups start calling for fast food chains to stop frying with partially hydrogenated oil.
1993	Scientific development	Lipoprotein		Additional evidence for age, gender, and high-density lipoprotein importance emerges, reinforcing the need to address these factors.
1993	Policy	Saturated fat, cholesterol	Saturated	The United States FDA requires that saturated fat and cholesterol be listed on food labels.	United States
1994	Statistics		Trans fat	A study estimates that over 30,000 cardiac deaths per year in the United States are attributable to the consumption of trans fats.
1994	Medical development	Cholesterol		Fluvastatin is introduced for medical use. This drug lowers the total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemia.
Mid–1990s	Industrial development	Hydrogenation		By this time, approximately 25 million tons of fats, oils and fatty acids are hydrogenated every year for the food, cosmetics and lubricant industries.
1995	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	American physician Alexander Leaf reports that omega-3 fatty acids also prevent arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.
1995	Intake			Americans report an average of 25% of daily calories from fats added in food or meal preparation and at the table. As total calories from fat averaged 33% of daily calories, most fats consumed are added at the discretion of food processors, consumers, or preparers rather than naturally occurring.	United States
1995–1996	Intake			The European multicentre TRANSFAIR Study is conducted. In it, samples of foods contributing to 95% total fat intake in 14 countries are analyzed centrally for trans-fatty acid content. Among the hydrogenated products, oils and fats are the main contributors (35%) followed by biscuits and cakes (16.5%). As for the biohydrogenated products, dairy products provide 18.8% of the total trans-fatty acids, while meat and meat products contribute 10.3% and butter another 5.9%. Overall, approximately, two-thirds of TFA in European diets are from foods with PHVO, while the remaining one-third is from natural food sources. Thus, in general, Europeans consume a lower proportion of TFA from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils compared with North Americans (∼80%).
1996	Literature	Lipid, fatty acid		F. D Gunstone publishes Fatty acid and lipid chemistry.
1996	Scientific development	Fatty acid		Gunstone estimates the existence of over 1000 fatty acids at this time, compared to 300 in 1967.
1996	Medical development	Triglyceride, cholesterol		Atorvastatin (sold under the brand name Lipitor) is approved for medical use in the United States. This drug reduces levels of triglycerides and harmful low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood and increases levels of beneficial high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.	United States
1996	Scientific development	Sterol		Mellanen et al. suggest that plant sterols may be oestrogenic.	Finland (University of Turku)
1997	Industrial development	Omega-3 eggs	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Commercial omega-3 eggs are first introduced to the public.
1997	Statistics	Fat		The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that fat consumption by humans in the United States can exceed 100 g/day.	United States
1998	Literature	Fat		Caroline M. Pond publishes The Fats of Life.
1999	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Joe Hibbeln and Andrew Stoll independently report an inverse correlation between omega-3 fatty acid consumption and the incidence of depression and that fish oil reduces episodes of mania and depression in patients with bipolar disorder.	United States
1999	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω-3, ω-6))	Tony Hulbert and Paul Else publish data indicating that the degree of unsaturation of an animal’s membranes, a function, in part, of the dietary intake of omega-3s and omega-6s, is the pacemaker of that animal’s metabolism. This discovery creates a new way of looking at the role that greens and seeds play in human health and a framework on which to hang all the other findings about omega-3s.
1999	Recommendation			An expert panel including the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL), the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, and the Center for Genetics, Nutrition, and Health, is convened to formulate recommendations for dietary intakes of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The recommendation for docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy put forward by the expert panel is 200 mg/day. In addition, the panel recommends 2.22 g/day of linolenic acid for all adults, and an upper limit was established for linoleic acid of 6.67 g/day.
2000	Statistics	Oils, fats		The global consumption of oils and fats ia 116.4 million tons. The largest volumes are for soybean oil (26.4 mt), palm oil (22.8 mt), rape seed oil (14.5 mt) and sunflower oil (9.4 mt).	Worldwide
2001	Scientific development	Diabetes	Trans fat	One study finds that risk of diabetes is higher for those in the highest quartile of trans fat consumption.
2001	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Jeffrey et al. (later Hoffman et al. in 2009) report on docosahexaenoic acid as exerting several roles in the visual system from photoreceptor differentiation to synaptic plasticity in a series of events leading to a direct influence on visual acuity.
2002	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	Ki Shuk Shim and G. Lubec postulate several mechanisms for the possible protective role of omega-3 fatty acids in dementia. The brain is particularly rich in fatty acids.
2002	Scientific development			"Burdge et al. upset the essentiality of α-linolenic acid by showing that 33% of a labeled dose given to a human was exhaled as CO2 in the first 24 h."
2002	Recommendation	Monounsaturated fat, Polyunsaturated fat		The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies releases the 'Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein and Amino Acids'. The report brief indicates that "monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce blood cholesterol concentration and help lower the risk of heart disease when they replace saturated fatty acids in the diet". It also recommends that the consumption of trans fatty acids be as low as possible.	United States
2003	Recommendation		Saturated	A report by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommends limiting the saturated fatty acids to less than 10% of daily energy intake and less than 7% for high-risk groups.
2003	Scientific development		Saturated	A meta-analysis finds a significant positive relationship between saturated fat and breast cancer.
2003	Scientific development	Cholesteryl ester	Trans fat	A randomized crossover study comparing the effect of eating a meal on blood lipids of (relatively) cis and trans-fat-rich meals shows that cholesteryl ester transfer (CET) is 28% higher after the trans meal than after the cis meal and that lipoprotein concentrations are enriched in apolipoprotein(a) after the trans meals.
2003	Scientific development	Alzheimer disease	Saturated, trans fat	A study published in Archives of Neurology suggests that the intake of both trans fats and saturated fats promotes the development of Alzheimer disease.
2003	Intake			In the United States, 81.3% of total edible fats and oils consumed comprise vegetable oils, an increase from 56.7% in 1965.	United States
2003	Policy		Trans fat	Denmark pioneers the banning of industrially-produced trans fats in food. The food regulatory agency of that country bans the use of all hydrogenated fats from food products, but at the same time made an explicit exception allowing the use of animal fats containing natural trans fatty acids as these were viewed as chemically different.	Denmark
2003	Medical development	Cholesterol, triglyceride		Pitavastatin is approved for medical use. It is used for lowing blood total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides.
2003	Medical development	Triglyceride, cholesterol		Lipitor becomes the best-selling pharmaceutical in history.
2003	Policy	Trans-fat		United States FDA rules that the amount of trans-fat in a food item must be stated on the label after January 1, 2006. Food items could be labeled 0% trans if they contain less than 0.5 g per serving.	United States
2004	Scientific development		Saturated	A review concludes that "no lower safe limit of specific saturated fatty acid intakes has been identified" and recommends that the influence of varying saturated fatty acid intakes against a background of different individual lifestyles and genetic backgrounds should be the focus in future studies.
2004	Recommendation	Trans fat, Coronary artery disease	Trans fat	The European Food Safety Authority produces a scientific opinion on trans fatty acids, surmising that "higher intakes of TFA may increase risk for coronary heart disease.
2004	Literature	Oil, fat		F. D. Gunstone publishes The Chemistry of Oils and Fats: Sources, Composition, Properties, and Uses.
2004	Policy	Phytosterol, phytostanol		The European Union Commission publishes Regulation 608/2004/EC concerning the labelling of foods and food ingredients with added phytosterols, phytosterol esters, phytostanols and/or phytostanol esters, requiring such products to be labelled with additional information including the words “with added plant sterols/plant stanols”.
2004–2005	Industrial development			World production of fats and oil is about 137 million metric tons in this period. At the same time, the consumption of oil is forecast to be 138 MMTs. Palm oil overtakes soybean oil for the first time in worldwide production.	Worldwide
2004–2005	Scientific development		Trans fat	An analysis of samples of McDonald's French fries collected finds that fries served in New York City contain twice as much trans fat as in Hungary, and 28 times as much as in Denmark, where trans fats are restricted. For Kentucky Fried Chicken products, the pattern is reversed: the Hungarian product containing twice the trans fat of the New York product. Even within the United States, there is variation, with fries in New York containing 30% more trans fat than those from Atlanta.
2005	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω-3, ω-6))	The influence of the ω-6/ω-3 ratio upon bone mineral density in elderly adults is assessed by Weiss et al. An increase in the ratio is seen to be significantly and independently correlated with increased bone mineral density of the hip in all participating women, and of the spine in women receiving hormone therapy. Similar results would be obtained in other studies.
2005	Scientific development			Yves Chauvin, Robert H. Grubbs, and Richard R. Schrock are awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their pioneering work in metathesis catalyst development (Grubbs and Schrock) and elucidation of the reaction mechanism (Chauvin).
2006 (January 1)	Policy		Trans fat	The first direct regulation of trans fat by the United States FDA is a requirement that it be labeled in amounts above 0.5g per serving, which takes effect on January 1.	United States
2006	Research		Saturated	A study indicates that the intake of saturated fat has a negative effect on the mineral density of bones. The study suggests that men may be particularly vulnerable.
2006	Policy		Trans fat	New York City passes a law banning artificial trans fats in all restaurant foods.	United States
2006	Policy		Trans fat	Argentina starts requiring trans fat content labeling.	Argentina
2006	Scientific development		Trans fat	An analysis of some industrialized foods finds up to 30% "trans fats" in artificial shortening, 10% in breads and cake products, 8% in cookies and crackers, 4% in salty snacks, 7% in cake frostings and sweets, and 26% in margarine and other processed spreads.
2007	Scientific development	Palm oil	Interesterified	A study funded by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board claims that replacing natural palm oil by other interesterified or partial hydrogenated fats cause adverse health effects, such as higher LDL/HDL ratio and plasma glucose levels. However, these effects could be attributed to the higher percentage of saturated acids in the IE and partially hydrogenated fats, rather than to the IE process itself.
2007	Scientific development	Phytosterol		P.G. Bradford and A.B. Awad claim a cancer-protective effect for phytosterols in humans.	United States
2007	Scientific development		Trans fat	A study finds that each 2% increase in the intake of energy from trans unsaturated fats, as opposed to that from carbohydrates, is associated with a 73% greater risk of ovulatory infertility.
2007	Program launch		Trans fat	The American Heart Association launches its "Face the Fats" campaign to help educate the public about the negative effects of trans fats.	United States
2008	Scientific development	Plant sterol		The European Food Safety Authority judges that the available scientific evidence justifying the claim that plant sterols lower/reduce blood cholesterol, and that blood cholesterol lowering may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
2008	Recommendation	Type 2 diabetes		The American Diabetes Association recommends low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets for weight management in patients with established type 2 diabetes, while the amount of monounsaturated fatty acids is not specified.	United States
2008	Policy		Trans fat	Switzerland bans trans fats.	Switzerland
2008	Policy		Trans fat	Calgary becomes the first city in Canada to ban trans fats from restaurants and fast-food chains.	Canada
2008	Scientific development		Unsaturated (monounsaturated (ω−7))	Researchers at Harvard University discover that the palmitoleic acid in omega-7 fatty acid acts like a hormone in the human body, rather than a protein, and is what the weight loss factor is attributed to; it's this part of the amino acid that fights against obesity and its related diseases and conditions.	United States
2009	Literature	Oil, fat		Frank Gunstone publishes Oils and Fats in the Food Industry.
2009	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω-3, ω-6))	Artemis P. Simopoulos suggests that a ω-6/ω-3 ratio of 5:1 exerts beneficial effects upon asthma, while a ratio of 10:1 has adverse effects.
2010	Recommendation		Saturated, Unsaturated	A conference of the American Dietetic Association takes place, at which concerns are expressed that a blanket recommendation to avoid saturated fats could drive people to also reduce the amount of polyunsaturated fats, which may have health benefits, and/or replace fats by refined carbohydrates — which carry a high risk of obesity and heart disease.	United States
2010	Statistics		Trans fat	According to the FDA, the average American consumes 5.8 grams of trans fat per day (2.6% of energy intake).	United States
2011	Scientific development	Triglyceride		The American Heart Association's scientific statement says triglyceride is not a direct cause of atherosclerosis but it is a marker of cardiovascular disease risk.	United States
2012	Recommendation	Industrially produced trans fatty acid	Trans fat	The Conseil Supérieur de la Santé in Belgium publishes a science-policy advisory report on industrially produced trans fatty acids that focuses on the general population. Its recommendation to the legislature is to prohibit more than 2 g of trans fatty acids per 100 g of fat in food products.	Belgium
2012	Scientific development		Trans fat	An observational analysis of subjects of an earlier study finds a strong relation between dietary trans fat acids and self-reported behavioral aggression and irritability, suggesting but not establishing causality.
2013	Scientific development	Industrial trans fatty acid	Trans fat	A team of Dutch scientists confidently write that "the detrimental effects of industrial trans fatty acids on heart health are beyond dispute".	Netherlands
2013 (late year)	Policy			The United States FDA announces plans to remove partially hydrogenated oils from the list of generally regarded as safe (GRAS).	United States
2014	Policy	Fat		It becomes obligatory in Israel to mark food products with more than 2% of fat by weight.	Israel
2014	Policy	Vegetable oil		From December, all food products produced in the European Union are legally required to indicate the specific vegetable oil used in their manufacture, following the introduction of the Food Information to Consumers Regulation.	European Union
2015	Recommendation	Cholesterol, saturated fat		The United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) recommends that Americans eat as little dietary cholesterol as possible, because most foods that are rich in cholesterol are also high in saturated fat and thereby may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.	United States
2015	Recommendation	Partially hydrogenated oil		The Food and Drug Administration Trusted Source states that partially hydrogenated oil is not safe, and removing it from food could prevent thousands of heart attacks each year.	United States
2015	Policy	Artificial trans-fat	Trans fat	The Food and Drug Administration decides that artificial trans-fat must be removed from the food supply in United States over the next 3 years because of health concern. However, all trans-fat would not be eliminated because those which occur naturally in meat and dairy products would still be permitted. FDA also agrees that small amount of TFAs produced during commercial refining can remain.	United States
2015	Recommendation		Trans fat	The Food and Drug Administration Trusted Source declares that trans fat is not “generally recognized as safe” and has to be phased out by 2018.	United States
2015	Scientific development		Unsaturated (polyunsaturated (ω−3))	According to a study, trans fats are one of several components of Western pattern diets which promote acne, along with carbohydrates with high glycemic load such as refined sugars or refined starches, milk and dairy products, and saturated fats, while omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce acne, are deficient in Western pattern diets.
2015	Scientific development		Trans fat	A study argues that "greater dietary trans fatty acid consumption is linked to worse word memory in adults during years of high productivity, adults age <45".
2017	Scientific development	Cardiovascular disease	Unsaturated (polyunsaturated)	A review by the American Heart Association estimates that replacement of saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat in the American diet could reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 30%.	United States
2017	Policy		Trans fat	Health Canada announces complete ban of trans fats in the country.	Canada
2018	Program launch		Trans fat	The World Health Organization launches a plan to eliminate trans fat from the global food supply. They estimate that trans fat leads to more than 500,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease yearly.
2018	Statistics		Trans fat	The 2018 Dutch Nutrition Survey reports that in this year, trans fatty acids only provided ∼0.3% of the daily energy requirement, as opposed to 5–10% several decades ago.
2018	Literature	Fat		Vinood B. Patel publishes The Molecular Nutrition of Fats, which presents the nutritional and molecular aspects of fats by assessing their dietary components, their structural and metabolic effects on the cell, and their role in health and disease.
2019	Policy	Partially-hydrogenated oil		The Ministry of Health of Singapore announces that partially-hydrogenated oils (PHOs) will be banned.	Singapore
2010 (April 15)	Recommendation		Trans fat	A British Medical Journal editorial calls for trans fats to be "virtually eliminated in the United Kingdom by next year".	United Kingdom
2016	Literature	Fat		Michelle Phillipov publishes Fats: A Global History.
2020	Policy		Trans fat	The Saudi Minister of Health announces the ban of trans fat in all food products in the country due to their health risks.	Saudi Arabia
2020 (August 19)	Policy		Trans fat	The President of Romania promulgates a law that limits trans fats to 2 grams per every 100 grams of fat, max. The food producers not conforming would be fined with a sum ranging between 10,000 and 30,000 lei.	Romania
2021	Scientific development		Saturated	A review finds that diets high in saturated fat are associated with higher mortality from all-causes and cardiovascular disease.
2021	Policy		Trans fat	Foods in the EU intended for consumers are required to contain less than 2g of industrial trans fat per 100g of fat.
2025	Market trend			The polyunsaturated fatty acids Market is forecast to reach US$10.59 billion by this year, due to growing popularity.

Meta information on the timeline

How the timeline was built

The initial version of the timeline was written by User:Sebastian.

Funding information for this timeline is available.

Feedback and comments

Feedback for the timeline can be provided at the following places:

• FIXME

What the timeline is still missing

• List of saturated fatty acids
• Omega-3 fatty acid
• Omega-6 fatty acid
• Omega-9 fatty acid
• Omega-7 fatty acid
• Interesterified fat

• Fatty acid
• Category:Fatty acids
• Triglyceride
• Category:Triglycerides

• Vipul: "One thing that would be valuable to capture (but hard!) is how the affect / sentiment around different kinds of fats has changed over time. e.g. saturated fats started going out oof favor in the late 20th century, and polyunsaturated rose. But now, even many polyunsaturated (particularly omega-6) are out of favor, ad at least in some circles saturated fats have redeemed themselves -- many of the evils originally thought to be due to saturated fats are now considered a result of trans fats created during th hydrogenation process. Best would be if there are surveys of nutritionist sentiment on different kinds of fats that we can plot over time? Or any other ideas for sentiment capture?"
• Vipul: "since all the know essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated, any row about essential fatty acids can be classified as Unsaturated (polyunsaturated)"

See also

• Timeline of proteins
• Timeline of malnutrition
• Timeline of cardiovascular disease