Were does margarine originally come from?

The history of margarine can be traced back to the mid-19th century when the French government offered a prize to anyone who could create a butter substitute that could be used by the military and lower-income families. In response, French chemist Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès developed a product made from beef fat and milk, which he called margarine. The name is derived from the Greek word for pearl, margaritis, due to its pearly appearance. Margarine was initially met with resistance from the butter industry, but it gradually gained popularity as a more affordable alternative to butter.