Is Margarine really one molecule away from plastic or is that an urban legen?

Question

I know that plastic is a petroleum based product and there are no petroleum based products in margarine. This myth doesnt seem to be true. Am I missing something?

Answer 1

Not sure, but coal and diamonds are molecularly similar too. Doesn't mean a whole lot.

Plastic is a derivative of petroleum, which came from plants to begin with, so it wouldn't surprise me if margarine, which comes from vegetable "oil" itself, was somewhat similar.

Answer 2

This may be a referral to the original ingredients of margarine. I once saw the list, and it didn't look appetising to me.

Answer 3

Margarine contains not less than 80% fat (any edible fat and/or oil, or mixture, whose origin is vegetable or rendered animal carcass fat) plus one or more of the following aqueous phase ingredients: milk and/or milk products, suitable edible protein. Plus Vitamin A.

(See 21 CFR 166.110 for the complete Standard of Identity.)

Most margarine has disappeared from the shelves. The products that look like margarine are now "reduced fat spreads" or similarly named products. They contain 50 - 75% fats instead of the mandatory 80% fats in margarine.