Production of trans‐free margarine fat by enzymatic interesterification of soy bean oil, palm stearin and coconut stearin blend

Abstract

AbstractTrans‐free structure lipids (SLs) were prepared from enzymatic interesterification (EI) of soybean oil (SBO), palm stearin (PS) and coconut stearin (CNS) blends in different ratios (0:70:30, 10:60:30, 20:50:30, 30:40:30 and 40:30:30% wt.) using Lipozyme RM IM at 65 °C for 8 h. After EI, the fatty acid composition of the SLs exhibited no change from the physical blends (PBs). Medium‐chain fatty acid was incorporated into the triacylglycerol of the SLs. The melting completion temperature decreased from 50–54 °C of PBs to 32–44 °C of SLs with a reduction in solid fat content. The small needle‐shaped crystals were observed in the SL samples. SL obtained from EI of 20:50:30 (SBO:PS:CNO) blend exhibited the highest potential to be used as a trans‐free margarine fat as it showed a similar SFC curve to the commercial margarine fat and crystallised into β′ polymorphic form.