The gelation of oil using ethyl cellulose

•The gelation mechanism of ethylcellulose oleogels does not involve secondary ordered structure formation.•Increasing polymer molecular weight led to an increase in final gel strength, the modulus at cross-over, and the gel point temperature.•Cooling/heating rates affect gel modulus only for the low molecular weight samples.•Thermal analysis detected no evidence for thermal transitions during gelation or melting of the gels. The characterization of the thermo-gelation mechanism and properties of ethyl cellulose/canola oil oleogels was performed using rheology and thermal analysis. Thermal analysis detected no evidence for thermal transitions contributed to secondary conformational changes, suggesting a gelation mechanism that does not involve secondary ordered structure formation. Rheological analysis demonstrated a relationship between the polymer molecular weight and the final gel strength, the cross-over behavior as well as the gel point temperature. Increasing polymer molecular weight led to an increase in final gel strength, the modulus at cross-over, and the gel point temperature. Cooling/heating rates affect gel modulus only for the low molecular weight samples. A decrease in gel strength with increasing cooling rate was detected. The cross-over temperature was not affected by the cooling/heating rates. Cooling rate also affected the gelation setting time where slow cooling rates produced a stable gel faster.