Division FOREWORDF1

Spectrophotometric examination in the ultraviolet can provide information on the quality of a fat, its state of preservation and changes brought about by technological processes. The absorption at the wavelengths specified in the method is due to the presence of conjugated diene and triene systems resulting from oxidation processes and/or refining practices. These absorptions are expressed as specific extinctions $E_{\mathrm{1\; \%}}^{1\mathrm{cm}}$ (the extinction of 1 % w/v solution of the fat in the specified solvent, in a 10 mm cell) conventionally indicated by K (also referred to as ‘ extinction coefficient ’ ).