Enhanced Structuring of Fat with Reduced Saturates Using Mixed Molecular Compounds

Molecular compound formation between multicomponent triacylglyceride (TAG) mixtures was characterized using palm oil mid fraction enriched in sn -1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (cPOP) and a commercial fraction enriched in sn -1,3-dioleyl-2-palmitoylglycerol containing a wide range of TAGs (cOPO). Compound formation occurred at a 1:1 (w/w) ratio of cPOP to cOPO corresponding to an equal parts ratio of two different families of TAGs. One family of TAGs consisted of a grouping of all TAGs composed of a saturated–oleic–saturated (StUSt) positioning of fatty acids. The second family consisted of a grouping of all TAGs composed of all oleic–saturated–oleic and saturated–saturated–oleic fatty acids (UStU, StStU). An increase in solid fat content, peak melting temperature, and crystalline domain size and a change in crystalline microstructure were observed at this ratio corresponding to an overall equality in the amount of cPOP to cOPO. This indicates that it is possible to achieve that same level of solid fat content and hardness as a mixture containing more saturates, simply by slightly decreasing the saturates and substituting an oleic monounsaturated fatty acid containing TAG mixture such that a molecular compound is formed. The increase in full-width at half-maximum indicated a decrease in crystalline order and/or decrease in crystal domain size. The characteristic spherulitic crystalline microstructure of OPO changed to small granular crystals upon addition of cPOP. This discovery may allow for the incorporation of a larger proportion of healthy monounsaturated fats into foods while decreasing the use of saturated and trans fats.