History of Margarine
Margarine was invented in 1869 by French chemist Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès who was commissioned by Napoleon III to find an alternative to butter. At the time, butter was in high demand and Napoleon wanted a cheaper substitute to help feed the poorer segments of the French population. Mège-Mouriès experimented with various ingredients like beef fat, milk and vegetables oils before developing a stable emulsion that resembled butter. He named his new invention 'margarine' which comes from the Greek word for pearl 'margarites' since the final product was whitish like mother-of-pearl.
Margarine sales grow as prices fall
In the early 1900s, Margarine began gaining traction across Europe as production methods improved making it cheaper and more accessible than butter. In the United States, individual states initially imposed restrictions and taxes on margarine sales to protect dairy farmers. However, by the late 1950s with further innovations in manufacturing and use of hydrogenated oils like soybean, cottonseed and palm oils, margarine prices fell significantly below butter. This triggered rapid growth in margarine consumption worldwide.
The Butter industry fights back
Facing falling sales and prices, butter producers lobbied governments worldwide against margarine by portraying it as an unhealthy and artificial substitute. In the United States, dairy lobbyists managed to get the American Medical Association (AMA) to recommend butter over margarine citing alleged health benefits. Laws were passed enforcing a color requirement for margarine - it had to be dyed pink or yellow so consumers knew it wasn't real butter. Package labeling was also mandated. However, with the rise of second-wave feminism in the 1960s criticizing traditional gender roles including women's work in the kitchen, margarine gained further popularity from its easy-to-use stick form.
Margarine takes over Butter markets
Despite regulatory hurdles, margarine sales skyrocketed starting in the 1970s, overtaking butter markets in several countries. This was driven primarily by its lower cost and versatility. While butter had to be refrigerated, margarine sticks could be left outside without spoiling making it more convenient for consumers. It could also be used directly on bread unlike butter which first had to be softened. Major manufacturers like Unilever and Van Den Bergh endorsed and marketed margarine heavily as a modern, healthy choice. In the US, margarine surpassed butter in annual per capita consumption in 1977, holding that lead since.
Health concerns around Trans fats
However, starting in the 1990s, studies began questioning the supposed health benefits of margarine due to its partially hydrogenated oil content which forms trans fats. Trans fats raise LDL or "bad" cholesterol and risk for heart disease. Major health organizations like the WHO now advise reducing trans fats intake to less than 1% of daily calories. This dented margarine's reputation and reinvigorated the butter industry. Manufacturers responded by formulating new tub margarines and spreads with altered recipes using plant sterols, mono- and polyunsaturated fats instead of hydrogenated oils. However, consumer and regulator skepticism around margarine has persisted. Many countries and cities have imposed trans fat bans recommending restrictions on certain margarine products.
Changes in dietary trends
In recent decades, changing diets and lifestyles have further impacted butter and margarine markets. More people embrace vegan, organic and clean label products. Spreads made from non-dairy sources like nuts are gaining in popularity. There is greater awareness around the benefits of grass-fed butter over commercial butter products containing additives and colors. On the other hand, convenient margarines suited to toast and baking still have proponents among time-strapped consumers. Both industries will need innovation to appeal to modern health and environmental values while keeping prices affordable. For now, both butter and margarine continue occupying grocery shelves worldwide, catering to different consumer segments. It remains to be seen how further dietary, regulatory and production changes will reshape the dynamics between these two spread categories in the future.
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