POLYMORPHIC STABILITY OF HYDROGENATED PALM OLEINS IN DILUTIONS WITH UNHYDROGENATED LIQUID OILS

Palm oil was hydrogenated under selective and nonselective conditions. Some of the hydrogenated samples were chosen for their physical characteristics and were diluted with 70% sunflower oil. A commercial hydrogenated palm olein (H-olein) was diluted up to 80% with canola oil. The diluted mixtures were evaluated for their polymorphic beta' stability by a temperature-cycling procedure between 4 and 20-degrees-C. All of the mixtures were stable in the beta' form. The dropping point and solid fat content of the mixtures were compared with those of commercial soft and stick margarines. Soft margarines can be prepared from mixtures of 20% H-olein and 80% unhydrogenated oil, and stick margarines from 40% H-olein and 60% liquid oil. If canola oil is the liquid oil, the saturated content in the soft formulation is 13% and that of a stick formulation 17%.