What is the primary purpose of hydrogenation?

Hydrogenation is a chemical process that involves the addition of hydrogen to unsaturated fats, which typically come from vegetable oils. The primary purpose of hydrogenation is to convert these liquid oils into a more solid form, often resulting in trans fats. This transformation helps improve the texture and stability of the fat, making it useful for various food products such as margarine and shortening.

By converting vegetable oil into a solid, hydrogenation allows for better spreadability and versatility in cooking and baking applications. It also helps extend the shelf life of products, as saturated fats are generally more stable than their unsaturated counterparts. While some options may seem related, the primary goal is clearly the transformation from liquid oil to solid fat, making option B the best choice for this question.