Trans FA and solid fat contents of margarines marketed in Turkey

Trans FA (TFA), solid fat contents (SFC), and slip melting points of 12 different tub and stick margarines marketed in Turkey were examined in this study. No trans isomers were found in four margarines, which suggests they were formulated from interesterified or blended fats and oils. The products with no TFA generally had more short-chain saturated FA, which suggests coconut oil-based oil components. TFA content of the other 10 products varied from 7.7 to 37.8%. Compared to the products formulated in North America, Turkish margarines contain more TFA and have higher SFC.     

Thermal and crystal characteristics of enzymatically interesterified fats of fatty acid-balanced oil and fully hydrogenated soybean oil in supercritical CO2 system

Blends of fatty acid-balanced oil that was prepared by the aqueous enzymatic extraction, and with fully hydrogenated soybean oil in different weight ratios from 30:70 to 80:20 (wt%) were interesterified using Lipozyme RM IM in a supercritical CO₂ system. The optimal immobilized enzyme dosage, pressure, substrate ratio, temperature, and time were 6% (w/w) of initial substrates, 8 MPa, blend ratio with 60:40 (wt%) of fatty acid-balanced oil and fully hydrogenated soybean oil, a temperature of 70°C, and reaction time of 2 h, respectively. It was observed that at the optimal conditions, under supercritical CO₂ conditions, the reaction time of the interesterification was shorter than that of conventional enzymatic interesterification. The slip melting point, solid fat content, fatty acid composition, differential scanning calorimetry, polymorphic form and crystal morphology of the enzymatically interesterified fats were evaluated. The results indicated that the interesterified fats showed desirable physical properties with lower slip melting point and solid fat content, suitable crystal form (β′ polymorph), and without trans-fatty acid for possible use as a shortening and margarine stock.     

Trans fatty acids in margarines and shortenings marketed in Austria

Margarines and shortenings available in Austria were repeatedly sampled in 1991/1992 and the content oftrans fatty acids (TFA) determined by using capillary GLC. Wide variations of the TFA contents with respect to intra- and inter-brand differences were observed. Diet margarines contained up to 1% TFA, while TFA concentrations in tub or stick margarines were much higher (15.7±5.8% and 21.3±5.3%, respectively). A sub-set of samples was also purchased in 1995 and a general reduction of the TFA content was noticed. Taking into account different market shares of certain margarine types, a weighted average of 15.7% TFA and 6.5% TFA was calculated for the 1991/1992 and the 1995 samples. Based on availability data the amount of TFA supplied with margarines was estimated to be 3.7 g per person per day, while a more accurate method of measuring dietary intakes, i.e. diet history and food frequency data, approximates the amount of TFA supplied with margarines to be 1.5 g per person per day for the 1991/1992 samples and 0.6 g for the 1995 samples.     

Direct determination of fat using ISO/CD 17189.2—an international collaborative study of spreadable fats and a meta-analysis

A method for the direct determination of the total fat content in spreadable fats, including low fat and regular fat margarines, reduced fat butter, blended spreads and a sterol-fortified spread, was studied collaboratively using 12 laboratories and eight samples (fat range: 23–82 g fat/100 g product). The method involved mixing 1–2 g of sample with petroleum ether solvent to extract the fat. The solvent of pooled lots of 3–4 extractions (the number of extractions depended on the phase separation technique used) was evaporated, and the extract was dried to constant mass and weighed. Estimates of repeatability (2.8s_r) and reproducibility (2.8s_R) were 0.24 g fat/100 g product and 0.44 g fat/100 g product, respectively. A meta-analysis of five international collaborative studies yielded grand estimates of repeatability and reproducibility of 0.26 g fat/100 g product and 0.45 g fat/100 g product, respectively (95% confidence intervals: 0.24–0.28 g fat/100 g product and 0.41–0.49 g fat/100 g product, respectively). These estimates apply to the full scope of draft ISO standard 17189.2, i.e. butter, edible oil emulsions and spreadable fats. The work reported in this paper completes the validation of this standard, which may now be progressed for final adoption as an international reference method.     

Sensory and Technological Evaluation of Margarines With Reduced Saturated Fatty Acid Contents Using Oleogel Technology

Margarines and spreads contribute greatly to the intake of saturated and trans fats in the diet. Therefore, the objective of this work was to produce margarines using the oleogel technology and to verify the physical, thermal, oxidative, and sensorial properties of this product during six months of shelf life, comparing it with commercial margarine. When compared with commercial margarine, the oleogel margarine showed similar color results. Due to the different structural shape, the results of microstructure and the melting curve were differentiated, but this indicated a structure more resistant to temperature oscillations and an overall softer product. However, the sensorial difference between the samples was easily detected by the consumers, mainly with respect to the parameters of taste, texture, and overall impression. It was concluded that it is possible to produce margarines using the oleogel technology, which display good physical properties, similar shelf life, and improved nutritional characteristics.     

Characterisation of the lipidic components of margarines by H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

In this work, ¹H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H NMR) has been used to study the lipidic fraction of margarines of different compositions, determining simultaneously both major components, which is to say triglycerides, and other minor ones, such as 1- and 2-monoglycerides, 1,2-diglycerides, vegetable stanols and sterols, and sorbic acid. The results show a wide variety of acyl group compositions, with polyunsaturated groups ranging from 22% to 50%, monounsaturated from 23% to 50%, and saturated from 21% to 55%. 1,2-Diglycerides and vegetable stanols and/or sterols have been detected in all the studied margarines, in concentrations varying between 2.73 and 26.06 mmol/kg, and between 3.40 and 240.01 mmol/kg, respectively. A good agreement has been found between the results obtained by ¹H NMR and some composition data of these margarines, showing the usefulness of this technique to analyse the lipidic composition of margarine in a quick and easy way.     

CLA-Rich Soy Oil Margarine Production and Characterization

A heterogeneous catalysis method to produce 20 % conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-rich food-grade soy oil in 2 h without solvents or gases was recently developed. The objective of this study was to produce and characterize CLA-rich soy oil margarine relative to a soy oil control and commercial margarine. CLA-rich soy oil was used to prepare margarine. The samples were characterized for firmness, rheology, thermal behavior, solid fat content (SFC) and microstructure and compared with a soy oil control and commercial margarine. The CLA-rich oil margarine firmness and rheological properties were similar to commercial margarine and provided a better texture relative to the soy oil control margarine. However, SFC, droplet size distribution and melting behavior of CLA-rich oil margarine were similar to control soy oil margarine and dissimilar to the commercial product. This suggests that hardness and rheological properties of margarine are not solely dependent on SFC and melting behavior. Lipid composition, polymorphism and microstructure differences in CLA-rich oil margarine may play an important role on the texture and rheological properties. A 7-g typical serving of the CLA-rich oil margarine will provide 0.6 g CLA. Thus five servings will provide 3.2 g/day of CLA and 185 calories/day, which is well within the maximum recommended 700–980 fat calories/day.     

Physicochemical,Textural and Viscoelastic Properties of Palm Diacylglycerol Bakery Margarine During Storage

Physicochemical, textural and viscoelastic properties of palm diacylglycerol (PDG) bakery margarines (DOS720, DOS721 and DOS711) and commercial margarine (CM) throughout a 3-month storage period were evaluated and compared. All the margarines had significant (P < 0.05) increments in slip melting point (SMP), solid fat content (SFC) and hardness during storage with CM having the highest overall increment followed by margarines DOS711, DOS 721 and DOS720. The smaller increments are mainly due to the ability of PDG to delay polymorphic transformation from β′ to β form. In terms of viscoelastic properties, all margarines had a higher degree of firmness which may probably be due to rearrangement of the fat crystals into a three-dimensional scaffolding network upon storage. In terms of melting behavior, storage has no effects on all margarines with the exception of margarine DOS711. The melting behavior of margarine DOS711 displayed a probability of oil exudation during storage. As for polymorphic transformation, CM had the earliest polymorphic transformation with only β crystals after 8 weeks of storage. PDG bakery margarines managed to retard the transformation to more than 10 weeks of storage for DOS711 and 12 weeks of storage for DOS720 and DOS721.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis> Fatty Acid Content of Canadian Margarines Prior to Mandatory <Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis> Fat Labelling

Dietary trans fatty acids (TFA) are of major concern because of their adverse effects on blood lipid levels and coronary heart disease. In Canada, margarines were significant sources of TFA during the 1980s and 1990s. However, this is expected to change with increased public awareness over their adverse health effects and the introduction of new legislature to include TFA content on the Nutritional Facts table of food labels. In this study, the TFA content of the top-selling 29 Canadian margarines, which represented 96.3% of the market share, was determined by capillary gas-liquid chromatography in order to assess the influence of regulatory development during the 3-year transition period between the announcement of new food labelling regulations in Canada that require mandatory declaration of the trans fat content in most pre-packaged foods in January 2003 and its enforcement on 12 December 2005. The 29 margarines included 15 tub margarines made from non-hydrogenated vegetable oils (NHVO-tub margarines), 11 tub margarines made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVO-tub margarines) and three print margarines, which were also made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVO-print margarines). The 15 NHVO tub-margarines accounted for 71% of the total margarine market share and generally contained less than 2% TFA (mean value 0.9 ± 0.3% of total fatty acids). The mean total TFA contents of PHVO-tub margarines and PHVO-print margarines, were 20.0 ± 4.5% and 39.6 ± 3.5%, and their market shares were 19.3 and 6.0%, respectively. Although during the last 10 years, increasing number of soft tub margarines that contained very little trans fats have been made available in Canada, the PHVO-tub- and -print margarines still contain high levels of trans fats similar to those margarines that were sold in the 1990s. The market share data suggest that the margarines prepared using NHVO and containing almost no TFA were preferred by Canadians over those margarines prepared using PHVO, even before the mandatory declaration of TFA content came into effect on 12 December 2005.     

Hygienic production of low-fat spreads and the application of HACCP during their development

Butter and margarine are the classic examples of water-in-oil emulsions, containing 80% fat on product. As a result of nutritionists' recommendations there is a tendency towards lowering the fat component in the overall diet. Low-fat spreads (40% fat on product) have established themselves as useful alternatives to full-fat products. The development of these products presented the producers with a number of microbiological questions. An explanation is given of how microbiological complications have been resolved following a modelling approach, which allows both qualitative (hazards) and quantitative (risks) predictions over a whole range of low-fat spread concepts. As a result of this approach a philosophy has been developed towards the quality assurance of mildly preserved products, which is discussed in relation to principles of HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point).