Effect of Sucrose Polyesters on Crystallization Behavior of Vegetable Shortening and Margarine Fat

The effects of adding sucrose fatty acid polyesters (SPEs) having various fatty acids on the crystallization of a vegetable fat mixture were studied. The rate of crystallization of solid fat was promoted by addition of palmitate-type SPE (P-SPE) or stearate-type SPE (S-SPE). However, it was retarded by addition of laurate-type SPE (L-SPE). Oleate-type SPE (O-SPE) had no remarkable effect on the rate of the crystallization. Crystal size became finer with the addition of P-SPE and S-SPE, compared to those grown with L-SPE, O-SPE, or without emulsifier. In DSC isothermal crystallization, unstable crystals formed at initial stage of the crystallization were not observed on addition of P-SPE. These results indicate that the fatty acid composition of the SPE importantly influences the crystallization behavior of solid fat.