Textural and physical properties of north American stick margarines

Compression of cylindrical samples was found to be a sensitive method in detecting differences in textural attributes in stick margarines. Constant speed penetration by a probe was the second most sensitive method, while American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) cone penetrometer was the least sensitive method. Canola margarines were significantly harder than soybean margarines. Solid fat content in the product is related to its texture only to a certain extent. The nature of the crystal network is also of importance. To estimate the solids in the final product by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance it is best to use the AOCS cooling method with a tempering step at 25°C. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) cooling method results in much higher values.