Margarine

Margarine is defined in the U.S. food standards as a food in plastic form or liquid emulsion that contains not less than 80 percent fat. That fat can come from edible vegetable oils, rendered animal carcass fats, or certain approved marine oils, or a mixture of these, which is why the ingredient list varies from one product to another.

The federal standard also calls for added vitamin A, in an amount that leaves the finished margarine with at least 15,000 international units per pound. Optional ingredients such as salt, flavorings, preservatives and coloring may be included.

Because it is built to the same 80 percent fat level that butter is held to, margarine behaves much like butter in many baked goods. Bakers use stick or block margarine for creaming into cookies and cakes, for pastry doughs, and for frosting, while softer tub styles hold more water and can change how a dough spreads and sets.