Margarines physical properties

Hydrogenated oils can be suitable basestocks for margarine, shortening, and frying oil with improved stability and altered physical properties. But hydrogenation has not completely solved oxidative-stability problems, and there is increasing concern about the nutritional safety of partially hydrogenated oils. 

Fats provide fundamental structural and textural attributes to a wide range of consumer products, including lipstick, chocolate, and everyday products such as butter and margarine (1, 2). Within these fat-based products, certain textural properties are required to meet desirable sensory attributes to gain consumer acceptance (3). This has led to an increase in research efforts on the physical properties of fats, particularly their rheology. 

Refined camelina oil was blended into fat phase to produce margarines and spreads enriched in omega-3 fatty acids. The resulting spreads had physical properties similar to a product based on typical commercial oils. The stability of the new product was satisfactory, and off-flavors were not detected after 6 months of storage (76). 

Testing techniques for the evaluation of physical properties and other properties of finished margarine products as well as low-fat spreads have been stated to include (4, 91) appearance, oral melting characteristics, oil exudation, slump (collapse), penetrations, spreadability, emulsion viscosity at 35°C (95°F), emulsion drop size, and electrical conductivity. 

D Souza, V., L. deMan, and J.M. deMan, Chemical and Physical Properties of the High-Melting Glyceride Fraction of Commercial Margarines, Ibid. 68 153-162 (1991). 

D Souza, V., DeMan, L. and DeMan, J.M. (1991) Chemical and physical properties of the high melting glyceride fractions of commercial margarines. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc., 68, 153-162. 

Neuronal membranes contain phospholipids. A lack of essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 fats, or excessive intake of saturated fats, margarine, cholesterol, and animal fatty acids, can result in abnormalities. The neuronal cell membrane regulates the passage of molecules into and out of the cell. Neuronal membrane fluidity is believed to impact behavior, mood, and mental function. Physical properties, including the fluidity, of neuronal membranes affect neurotransmitter synthesis, signal transmission, uptake of serotonin and other neurotransmitters, neurotransmitter binding, and the activity of key enzymes that break down neurotransmitters like serotonin, epinephrine, dopamine, and norepinephrine. 

Zhang H, Smith P, Adler-Nissen J. Effects of degree of enzymatic interesterification on the physical properties of margarine fats Solid fat content, crystallization behavior, crystal morphology, and crystal network. J Agric Food Chem. 52(14) (2004) 4423-4431. 

Commonly used interesterified fats, whieh provide suitable fimctionality for the food industry, include fats that are rich in the long-ehain SYK, palmitic acid (16 0) and stearic acid (18 0) [77]. Chemical and enzymatic interesterification has been specially used in the formulation of margarines and shortenings to provide products with no TFA but that still maintain physical properties, taste, and stability [80]. 

Interesterification procedures are used industrially to improve the physical properties of lard, to produce cocoa butter substitutes from cheaper oils (usually combined with hydrogenation and fractionation), to produce fats containing acetic acid, and to produce margarine of appropriate melting behaviour with a minimum content of trans acids and maximum content of polyene acids. This has been achieved, for example, by interesterification of soybean oil (80%) and fully hydrogenated soybean oil (20%). 

L deMan, E Postmus, JM deMan. Textural and physical properties of North American stick margarines. J Am Oil Chem Soc 67 323 -328, 1990. 

NA Idris, L deMan, TS Tang, CL Chong. Chemical composition and physical properties of soft (tub) margarines sold in Malaysia. J Am Oil Chem Soc 73 995-1001, 1996. 

V D Souza, JM deMan, L deMan. Chemical and physical properties of the solid fat in commercial soft margarines J Am Oil Chem Soc 69 1198-1206, 1992. 

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