Confectionery fats. I. Preparation by interesterification and fractionation of pilot-plant scale

A cocoa butter-like fat has been prepared on a pilot plant scale by the interesterification of hydrogenated cottonseed oil and a triolein product or olive oil followed by fractional crystallization from acetone at two different temperatures. The coproducts—a fraction which consists primarily of trisaturates and is obtained by fractionation at 20 to 28°C., and a fraction which is primarily di- and triunsaturates and is obtained from the low temperature (0°C.) filtrate—are reused in the process. In five of the six pilot plant runs conducted, 100 pounds of 70∶30 or 75∶25 mixtures of the hard fat and liquid oil were used as starting materials. In the sixth run, 140 pounds were used. Yields varied from 25 to 35%. Characteristics of the cocoa butter-like fat products are discussed. Variations in the products were made by changing the ratio of starting materials to 75∶25 and by lowering the first crystallization temperature from about 28° to about 19°C. Operational data obtained show that the process has commerical feasibility. Solvent-to-fat ratio was only 4 to 1. Filtration rates based on production of dry solids were 9 to 44 pounds per hour per square foot of filter area, respectively, for the first and second crystallizations. Although time to attain crystallization temperature was about 4 hours in the pilot plant oeprations, laboratory data indicate that comparable products can be obtained for crystallization times as low as one-half hour. The shorter crystallization time would be more applicable for commercial consideration. The steps in the process are considered conventional in commercial processing.