Water-in-triglyceride oil emulsions. Effect of fat crystals on stability

The influence of low concentrations (0.1-5%) of fat crystals on the stability of water-in-soybean oil emulsions was examined by light scattering and sedimentation experiments. Both the initial flocculation/coalescence rate and long-term stability against water separation were determined. The initial flocculation/coalescence rate increased upon addition of small amounts of fat crystals. When the crystal concentration was increased above a critical concentration (specific to a system), a decrease in the flocculation/coalescence rate occurred. The increased flocculation/coalescence rate is likely the effect of bridging of water droplets by fat crystals. Fat crystal wetting by water is an important criterion for this phenomenon to occur. Emulsion stabilization for crystal concentrations above critical is caused by a mechanical screening of water droplets. The presence of considerable amounts of crystals in oil also lowered the density difference between droplet and medium, and enhanced viscosity. The degree of increase in viscosity depended upon the emulsifier. Both a decrease in density difference and an increase in viscosity play a role in hindering flocculation/coalescence of droplets. In long-term studies of water separation, all concentrations of fat crystals stabilized the water-in-oil emulsions. The droplet size of these emulsions increased until the critical droplet size was approached where the screening effect of crystals on the droplets no longer stabilized the emulsions. The stabilizing effect for emulsions with monoolein was continuously improved by increasing the amount of crystals up to 5%. For lecithin-stabilized emulsions, an optimal effect was achieved for fact crystal concentrations of 1–2%.     

Analysis of soybean oil from Ohio

Five soybean cultivars-Pella 86, Ripley, Sherman, Williams 82, and Zane—were analyzed to determine the total fatty acid composition and triglyceride fatty acid composition. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic were the major fatty acids in these cultivars. Zane was significantly higher in saturated fatty acid content and lower in linolenic acid content than the other cultivars. Resolution by argentation thin-layer chromatography decreased with increased triglyceride unsaturation.     

Modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry for examination of tristearin polymorphism: I. Effect of operational parameters

The transformations of tristearin were examined by modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry (MTDSC) in order to study the effect of operational parameters on the nature of information obtained from this technique. Tristearin has been used as a model polymorphic system showing metastable phases and complicated transformation routes occurring at relatively slow rates. The parameters examined were underlying heating/cooling rates and the amplitude of modulation. The first conclusion is that MTDSC enables overlapping α-melting and β-crystallization events to be separated, thus increasing the information obtained compared to normal thermal analysis. Other general conclusions are that observation of reversible processes is strongly influenced by the underlying heating rate; low to moderate heating rates are recommended. Amplitude of modulation has a complicated effect on the phenomenon being studied; when studying systems that exhibit metastable or polymorphic transitions, it is recommended that a range of amplitudes be tested to enable confirmation of whether an observed ‘recrystallization’ effect is a new phase or the same phase as the one melting. Cooling with modulation disturbs the crystallization process, possibly leading to smaller or imperfect crystals; however, the phases obtained are not different compared to normal DSC. The usefulness of MTDSC in analyzing these types of complicated systems is primarily qualitative at the moment. Some recommendations have been made as to the combinations of parameters for studying such systems.     

Electrospray ionization MS of high M.W. TAG oligomers

Reported are the on-line LC/electrospray ionization MS of large, high M.W. oligomers formed from heated triolein, a TAG used as a model for dietary oils. Triolein, the major component of olive oil, canola oil, and other dietary oils, was heated at frying temperature, and the TAG oxidation products were separated using RP-HPLC coupled to an ion trap mass spectrometer via an electrospray ionization interface. Ammonium formate was added as a sheath liquid to promote ammonium adduct formation. Masses corresponding to ammonium adducts of intact carbon-linked dimers (m/z 1783–1787), trimers (m/z 2666–2672), and tetramers (m/z 3547–3557) of triolein, with and without additional sites of unsaturation, were observed. Also, dimers, trimers, and tetramers containing one, two, or three additional oxygens, also with and without additional sites of unsaturation, are reported. Based on the formation of some types of triolein dimers, we believe that tristearin might also form dimers, even though it has no readily oxidizable sites of unsaturation. Oxidized tristearin monomers, tristearin dimers, chainaddition products, and chain-shortened products are observed.