Shear-crystallization in beeswax oleogels: structural modulation and insights

Oleogels are increasingly recognized as promising materials for food and cosmetic applications, yet their industrial production still faces major challenges due to limited understanding of cooling treatments. This study presents the first systematic comparison of static versus shear-crystallization in coconut–sunflower oil oleogels structured with beeswax (7.5–12.5% w/w) at 20 °C and 30 °C. Texture and rheological analyses confirmed that static-crystallized oleogels exhibited significantly higher firmness and yield viscosity, while shear-crystallized samples formed softer, shear-thinning gels with lower yield viscosity. However, polarized light microscopy revealed that static crystallization promoted the formation of unwanted large granular crystals (>100 μm), attributed to post-crystallization of high-melting fractions during storage. In contrast, shear-induced crystallization produced finer, more uniform crystal networks (3.0–4.6 μm). These findings highlight shear-crystallization as a novel and effective approach for regulating crystal growth in beeswax oleogels, offering controlled pathways to improve stability and overall quality for industrial food and cosmetic products.