Characterization and Oxidative Stability of Structured Lipids: Infant Milk Fat Analog

Structured lipids (SLs) for infant milk formulation were produced by enzymatic interesterification of tripalmitin with vegetable oil blends and fish oil. The SLs were characterized by fatty acid content and structure, melting profiles, oxidative stability index, free fatty acid (FFA) concentration, and tocopherol content. Oxidative stability was studied using accelerated methods by quantifying FFA, peroxides (peroxide value) and aldehydes (p-anisidine value) production. Total oxidation (TOTOX value) was calculated as 2 × (peroxide value) + (p-anisidine value). The structured lipids after purification by distillation and addition of antioxidants had melting profiles, oxidative stability index, and initial FFA concentration that were similar to that of the starting oil blends, while the fatty acid composition and structure of the SLs were similar to that of human milk fat. Oxidative stability of the SLs was improved with tocopherol addition as antioxidants and was comparable to that of the vegetable oils and oil blends.