Structured sunflower oil: the evaluation of Crystallization kinetic and microstructure

The crystallization process has direct impact on the consistency and spreadability of fats. Organogelator compounds like monoacylglycerols (MAG) are able to modify the nature of edible oils by altering the crystallization mechanism. In this research, the effects of MAG addition as organogelator on crystallization kinetic (induction time of crystallization (IPcrystallization) and crystallization rate), rheological moduliand the microstructure of sunflower oil have been investigated. Adding the MAG can decrease induction period of crystallization, which such an effect was more noticeable in the sample containing 5.0 % monoacylglycerol. The MAG addition increased the rate of crystallization and decreased IPcrystallization at temperature ranges of 10 to 50 °C. IPcrystallization and crystallization rate for the structured sample with 5.0% MAG were 18.93 (s) and 0.16 (1/min), respectively. In general, with the increase of temperature, the rate of crystallization decreased.Evaluatingthe microstructure of oleogel samples was in accordance with complex modulus; it showed that MAGwas able to increase the hardness of the ologel samples. In general, the samples which had higher MAG levels, denser structure presented. Due to process crystallization is timeconsuming and expensive;an organogelator compound such as MAG is useful, being a proper option to use in the product requiring fast crystallization.