Tallow
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Tallow is rendered beef or mutton fat, processed from suet.
The tallow derived from beef is called stearin. Unlike suet, tallow can be stored for extended periods without the need for refrigeration to prevent decomposition, provided it is kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation.
It is used in animal feed, to make soap, for cooking, as a bird food, and was once used for making candles. It can be used as a raw material for the production of biodiesel and other oleochemicals.
Industrially, tallow is not strictly defined as beef or mutton fat. In this context, tallow is animal fat that conforms to certain technical criteria, including its melting point, which is also known as titre. It is not uncommon for commercial tallow to contain fat derived from other animals, such as swine.
At McDonald's restaurants, french fries used to be fried in 93% beef tallow and 7% cottonseed oil.[[Citing sources citation needed]]
Tallow is an important raw material in the steel rolling industry providing the required lubrication as the sheet steel is compressed through the rollers.
Tallow is the flux for soldering lead.
See also
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