Animal fats are important materials for a number of industries, among which the production of soap and shortenings, besides their use as food items, as is the case of lard used as a frying seasoining and heat transfer medium in cooking and also as an ingredient in meat preservers, as is also the case for duck fat.

Fat occurs in animal tissues, part of it in a not very apparent way. Recovery of fat from slaughterhouse refuse is usually done by applying to it a heat treatment which melts it allowing gravity separation from non-fat materials. This treatment may be applied in heated vats or by means of continuous cooker-extruder type technology.

Fats obtained in this way may be subject to fractionation in order to obtain higher and lower melting phases, or used as such. Tallow, a by product from beef, is an important commodity, but tallows obtained from other types of cattle are used in the areas of the world where these are grown. The fat obtained from pork is called lard and it is an ingredient which is traditionally used by many, though eschewed by others.

Animal fats which are obtained after slaughter may be refined but their limited unsaturation and absence of sensitizers makes them less subject to oxidative deterioration. They may thus be used as such, eventually after addition of an antioxidant.