Author
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List, Gary |
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Submitted to: Oilseed Processing Clinic Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/8/1998 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Current research is focused on developing new technologies offering alternatives to partial hydrogenation thus eliminating trans fatty acid isomers in food oils intended for margarines, spreads, and shortenings. Random interesterification of liquid vegetable oils with harder components was shown to be a versatile tool for preparation of margarine and spread oils having suitable solid fat index profiles and melting points. Similarly shortening basestocks can be prepared from interesterification of palm oil with vegetable oil flakes. Blending of these products with liquid vegetable oils allows formulation of shortening oils with a wide range of solids content. Traditionally, random interesterification of vegetable oils has been carried out in the presence of chemical catalysts most notably with sodium methoxide. Studies were conducted in which vegetable oils were randomized in flowing supercritical carbon dioxide using an immobilized enzyme bed. By varying pressure, CO2 flow, and enzyme concentration, the reaction can be controlled to yield products with the desired physical properties. Soybean oils high in stearic acid have been developed by genetic breeding and their utility in margarine oil has been investigated. In their natural states, oils containing 17-33% stearate are unsuitable over the entire (10-33.3 deg C) temperature range required of margarine oils. However after blending with harder components, these oils show promise as either soft tub or stick margarine oils. Interesterification of high stearic oils either with sodium methoxide or with immobilized lipase in flowing CO2 alters their solid fat index profiles and melting points to such an extent that blending with tropical oil components becomes unnecessary. |
