Dispersed free phytosterols as structuring agents in lipid systems with reduced saturated fat

K R.R Godoi,T G Kieckbusch,L P Cardoso,M H.M Buscato,A P.B Ribeiro,R C Basso

doi:10.3989/gya.0226171

Abstract

The negative effects of trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids in food have been widely discussed and this has led to progressive changes in the legislation of many countries. The use of structuring agents or crystallization modifiers, as specific triacylglycerol and minor lipids have been indicated as the only viable alternative for obtaining low saturated fats with properties which are compatible with food application. In this context, phytosterols, natural products with hypocholesterolemic action, and hard fat-crystallization modulators, present a new option for structuring lipid matrices. This work characterized the effects of fully hydrogenated soybean oil and free phytosterols on the physical properties and crystallization behavior of palm oil and canola oil blends for the development of zero trans-fat bases with low levels of saturated fatty acids. The systems were evaluated for chemical composition, atherogenic index, solid fat profiles, microstructure, consistency, thermal behavior and polymorphism.

Highlights

The increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease in the last century led to an endless search for risk factors related to its development
Several studies have found that a relatively high intake of fat, especially trans and saturated fat, is a major contributor to the high incidence of coronary heart disease (Zevenbergen et al, 2009).Trans fatty acids are included among the dietary lipids that act as risk factors for coronary artery disease by modulating the synthesis of cholesterol and its fractions and acting on eicosanoids (Dhaka et al, 2011).Saturated fat is one of the main causes of the increase in plasma cholesterol, whose reduction in the diet is widely supported for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (Wassell et al, 2010)
hydrogenated soybean oil (HSO) did not present significant amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, with 87.2% total acid content composed for stearic acid due to full hydrogenation of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids from natural soybean oil

Summary

Introduction

The increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease in the last century led to an endless search for risk factors related to its development. Changing the composition of the lipid matrix in order to reduce the saturated fatty acid concentration and improve the lipid nutritional profile has become a strategic priority for food processing For this purpose, the recent scientific literature indicates a potential alternative use of various components with structuring action and performance capacity in molecular or sub-micron levels in lipid matrices. The effects of these modifiers on the macroscopic level, such as visual appearance, rheology and consistency has been the subject of new studies (Rogers et al, 2014; Smith et al, 2011). In this context, different materials have been evaluated, such as trisaturated triacylglycerols, free fatty acids, partial glycerides, waxes, fatty alcohols, phospholipids, phytosterols and different classes of emulsifiers. A complete understanding of the effects of these modifiers in various lipid systems and their interactions, has not yet been completely established in the scientific literature (Ribeiro et al, 2015)

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