Characterization of Vanaspati Fat Produced in Iran

Abstract

AbstractVanaspati is the main culinary fat consumed in Iran. It is produced from vegetable oils using different modification processes such as hydrogenation, fractionation, interesterification or blending. To characterize this product, samples from different Iranian brands were collected and their physicochemical properties were studied. Iranian vanaspati contains 0.3–6.2 % trans fatty acids and 24.8–30.5 % saturated fatty acids. Linoleic acid with a range of 32.5–40.3 % is the main unsaturated fatty acid of vanaspati. Iodine values and saponification values of the samples were in the range of 91.9–106.4 and 193.2–194.3, respectively. Free fatty acid contents between 0.04 and 0.10 % and peroxide values between 2.0 and 8.8 mequiv/kg were detected in samples. The induction period of oxidation of the samples was found to be between 8.5 and 15.4 h at 110 °C. With an average slip melting point of 32.9 °C, samples contained 10.0–22.6 % solid fat content at 10 °C, 4.2–10.6 % at 20 °C, 0.3–5.2 % at 30 °C and 0.0–0.5 % at 40 °C. The induction period of crystallization and crystallization rate of samples, were in the range of 0.0–33.11 min and 0.07–2.54 1/min, respectively. Lovibond red and yellow color indices of the product were found to be in the range of 5.0–7.3 and 69.5–70.2, respectively.