Crystallization Enhancement by a High Behenic Acid Stabilizer in a Palm Oil-Based Model Fat Blend and its Corresponding Fat-Reduced Water-in-Oil Emulsion

A high behenic stabilizer (HBS) at concentrations of 0.3%, 0.6%, and 0.9% w/w was added to the oil phase of a fat-reduced water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion intended for margarine manufacture. The crystallization kinetics, thermal behavior, and microstructure of an oil phase and its 35/65 w/w fat-reduced W/O emulsion were studied. The oil phase was composed of a palm oil-based model fat blend, three emulsifiers, and the HBS. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that, when 0.9% of stabilizer was added, the crystallization started 2.5 °C higher than when no HBS was added, hence reducing the time needed for crystallization. Polarized light microscopy results showed that the cocrystallization of the high-melting triacylglycerols of the oil phase with the HBS significantly decreased the fat crystal size and increased the number of crystals. The solid fat content also was increased by 2.4%. Interfacial tension experiments corroborated that HBS was located in the oil phase and not at the emulsion interface. This work shows that margarine can be successfully manufactured by adding 0.9% HBS to a 35/65 w/w fat-reduced W/O emulsion without losing functionality, as shown by the presence of the β′ polymorph. This work also suggests that 15% fat could be removed from the system without changing functionality by merely adding up to 0.9% of HBS.