Enzymatic interesterification of palm and coconut stearin blends

Hard fractions of palm oil and coconut oil, blended in the ratios of 90:10, 85:15, 80:20 and 75:25, were interesterified for 8 h using Lipozyme TL IM. Major fatty acids in the blends were palmitic acid (41.7–48.4%) and oleic acid (26.2–30.8%). Medium‐chain fatty acids accounted for 4.5–13.1% of the blends. After interesterification (IE), slip melting point was found to decrease from 44.8–46.8 °C to 28.5–34.0 °C owing to reduction in solids content at all temperatures. At 37.5 °C, the blends containing 25% coconut stearins had 17.4–19% solids, which reduced to 0.4–1.5% on IE, and the slip melting point (28.6 and 28.8 °C) indicated their suitability as margarine base. The reduction in solid fat index of the interesterified fats is attributed to the decrease in high‐melting triacylglycerols in palm oil (GS₃ and GS₂U type) and increase in triolein (GU₃) content from 1 to 9.2%. Retention of tocopherols and β‐carotene during IE was 76 and 60.1%, respectively, in 75:25 palm stearin and coconut stearin blend.