Mono-/diglycerides saturated

Saturated fatty acids (no double bonds), such as myristic, palmitic, and stearic, make up two-thirds of milk fatty acids. Oleic acid is the most abundant unsaturated fatty acid in milk, with one double bond. Triglycerides account for 98% of milk fat. The small amounts of mono-, diglycerides, and free fatty acids in fresh milk may be... 

Figure 8 Air bubbles in ice cream (a). Interface (arrows) between a large air bubble (A) and water phase (W) in an ice cream sample without emulsifier. There is very little adsorption of fat globules to the air-water interface, which is stabilized by a thin protein film only, (b) Corresponding structures in an ice cream with emulsifier (saturated mono-diglycerides). Fat globules interact strongly with the air-water interface. Reprinted from reference 23, p 242, courtesy of Marcel Dekker Inc.

Figure 10 Protein desorption from fulsifier (saturated mono-diglyceride), cream mix with (+E) and without (-E) e,n...

Monoglycerides and mono-diglycerides have low HLB values and cannot form micelles. They build up a multi-layer at the surface, resulting in a constantly decreasing surface tension as their concentration increases. However, in systems with proteins such as fat-free ice cream mixes, these emulsifiers behave as if they have a CMC. A possible explanation for this observation is that the unbound emulsifier in the fat-free mix is in equilibrium with the protein-bound emulsifier. Above a certain concentration of emulsifier in the mix, any surplus of emulsifier will adhere to the protein in the water phase after the surface has been saturated. The unadsorbed emulsifier is seen as very small crystals less than 200 nm by electron microscopy analysis4. ... 

The nature of the emulsifier affects partial coalescence. The hydrocarbon tail of mono-/diglycerides can be either saturated e.g. glycerol monostearate) or unsaturated e.g. glycerol monooleate). Unsaturated emulsifiers produce greater partial coalescence because they displace more protein from the fat droplet surface and so the interface is weaker. 

Fatty acids do not exist normally in the free state. Fats and oils are predominantly triesters of fatty acids and glycerol, commonly called triglycerides . These fatty acids may be saturated, mono-unsaturated or polyunsaturated. In addition to triglycerides, oils and fats also contain monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, galactolipids, free fatty acids emerging due to the action of lipases, and small amounts of substances such as sterols, terpenes, tocopherols and other fat soluble vitamins. 

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