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oil
substance
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Also known as: edible oil, fixed oil, nonvolatile oil
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oil, any greasy substance that is liquid at room temperature and insoluble in water. It may be fixed, or nonvolatile, oil; essential oil; or mineral oil (see petroleum). A brief treatment of fixed oils follows. For full treatment of edible oils, see fat and oil processing. Fixed oils and fats have the same chemical composition: they consist chiefly of glycerides, resulting from a reaction between an alcohol called glycerol and certain members of a group of compounds known as fatty acids. Along with proteins and carbohydrates, the glyceride oils and fats constitute the three main classes of food. Besides their ...(100 of 252 words)