Optimized synthesis of sucrose polyesters: comparison of physical properties of sucrose polyesters, raffinose polyesters and salad oils

Synthesis and purification of sucrose polyesters (SPE) were optimized to obtain high yields of SPE. Sucrose octaacetate (SOAC) and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) of salad oils or FAME blends of homogenous fatty acids and salad oils were interesterified in the presence of sodium metal. Yields 99.6-99.8% of purified SPE based on initial weight of SOAC were obtained. SPE structure was confirmed by infrared (IR) and C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (C-13 NMR) spectroscopy. Physical properties of SPE and raffinose polyesters (RPE) were similar to physical properties of conventional salad oils. The hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) of SPE and RPE were between 2-6 HLB units. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the melting properties of SPE and RPE. Neither SPE nor RPE was susceptible to in vitro lipolysis.