Effect of triacylglycerol species on the crystallizing behavior of a model water/oil emulsion

The crystallizing behavior of a model water/oil (W/O) emulsion with different fat formulas was investigated. The model W/O emulsion was stored in a programmable oven under a temperature fluctuation cycle of 5 °C for 12 h and 20 °C for another 12 h. Crystal growth was observed using a polarization microscope, until the crystals were over 100 μm in diameter, which causes texture degradation. We examined whether the texture degradation is related to the fatty acid formula and the triglyceride formula by carbon number. We also examined the effect of the triglyceride species concentration estimated from the fatty acid formula on the texture degradation. The palmitic acid content was related with texture degradation at high concentration among the fatty acid species. The triglyceride content was not related with texture degradation. Triacylglycerol species with palmitic acid such as tripalmitate (PPP) and 1,3‐dipalmitoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐glycerol (POP) were related with texture degradation. The summed up concentration of three triglycerides [PPP, POP and 1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐3‐oleoyl‐glycerol (PPO)] was related with texture degradation.