Trans-free plastic shortenings from coconut stearin and palm stearin blends

Coconut oil was fractionated to get 40% and 60% stearins (CSt1 and CSt2), blended with a hard fraction (PSt) from palm oil (10–90%) and its suitability as a plastic fat was studied. Slip melting point increased with increase in the level of PSt and ranged from 25.9 to 49.6 °C. CSt2 did not contain any solids above 20 °C but increased on incorporating PSt and showed the wider melting range required for plastic fats. Melting profiles of the blends containing 30% and 40% PSt were comparable with that of a commercial bakery shortening. Triglyceride composition showed that the blends contained lower and higher molecular weight triglycerides desirable for plastic fats. FTIR spectra showed a distinct peak at 966 cm⁻¹ characteristic of trans fatty acids in commercial shortening while the peak was absent in blends. This study showed that the blends containing 60–70% CSt with PSt are suitable as trans-free plastic fats.