Solidification of the Blends of Fully Hydrogenated Coconut Oil and Non-hydrogenated Coconut Oil

Abstract

Coconut oil is one of the generally used edible fats in food industries. To modify its texture, coconut oil is frequently treated by full-hydrogenation. Since full-hydrogenation results in extremely hard fat; therefore, blending with more soft material is a good option to reach the required texture. The aim of the present study was to establish the solidification characters of the blends containing both fully hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated coconut oils. Investigations were carried out by means of pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (pNMR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Solidification phenomenon was interpreted by the Avrami model. Based on the results, parameters of the Avrami model were calculated. The results proved that these two fats are completely miscible and the equilibrium SFC value of their blends modified in accordance to the blending ratios and temperature gradient. DSC measurements did not show any significant difference in crystallization curves of the samples. Our results may be utilized in food technology, especially when production of fat containing foods needs cooling, for example in the manufacturing of margarine, shortenings, and confectionary fats.