The composition and physical characteristics of lard, Sus scrofa, have wide
variations related to the animal’s diet, the climate in which it was raised, and its
overall structure. Hogs are monogastric and their stored fats closely resemble dietary
intake; consequently, the degree of unsaturation of lard depends upon the amount
and fatty acid composition of the oils in the feed. Typical physical properties and
composition variations in lard are as follows:
29,86,87