Stabilizing polymorphic transitions of tristearin using diacylglycerols and sucrose polyesters

Abstract

The polymorphic transitions of synthesized tristearin in the presence of selected DAG or commercial sucrose polyesters (SPE) were investigated using DSC and X-ray diffractometry. The stabilizing effects of DAG and SPE on a to β transitions of tristearin were dependent on the chemical structures of additives such as FA chain length, saturation of FA, positions and number of FA on backbones. The addition of 1,2-distearin (DS) or SPE containing 70% stearic acid with a hydrophile-lipophile balance value of 1 (S-170) to tristearin resulted in a significant stabilizing effect on the a to β transition during constant heating and storage of α forms at 53°C. The addition of 1,2-DS or S-170 also stabilized the β′ to β transitions of tristearin during constant heating and storage at 59°C. The addition of S-170 exhibited greater stabilizing effects than the addition of 1,2-DS during early stages of storage of a or β′ forms of tristearin. This study provides evidence of potential uses for SPE as additives to improve the quality and shelf life of foods containing fats by stabilizing the desirable a or β′ forms of fats. Copyright © 2005 by AOCS Press.