Influence of wax type on characteristics of oleogels from camellia oil and medium chain triglycerides

Camellia oil (CO) and medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), characterised by different carbon chain lengths, were gelled using beeswax (BW), candelilla wax (CLW) and carnauba wax (CRW). Critical concentrations, oil-binding capacity (OBC), textural parameters, thermal properties, microscopic properties and infrared spectra were used to evaluate their differences. The carbon chain length of oil sources showed different results for the critical concentration of the three wax-based gel oils at 25 °C, and the oleogel of MCT and CLW exhibited a minimum value (1%). The oleogels formed from CO and waxes with wax esters as the main components (BW and CRW) exhibit significantly lower OBC and textural value than the oleogels made from MCT with BW and CRW. Meanwhile, this is corroborated with the thermal behaviour and crystal morphology, and distribution of the oleogels. However, no differences in crystal types and generation of new functional groups were observed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer, suggesting that the differences in the properties of wax-based oleogels with different carbon chain lengths are attributed to the interactions between the waxes and the oil sources (physical interaction).