Upfield Europe B.v.

Upfield US Inc.

Unilever Plc

Unilever, N.v.

Albert Korres

René Joachim Buter

Teunis De Man

René Joachim Butter

The invention relates to a compacted microporous fat powder that can suitably be used as an oil structuring agent. The compacted microporous fat powder has a freely settled density in the range of 90-600 g/l; a particle size distribution with at least 90 vol. % of the particles having a diameter in the range of 20 to 600 &#x3bc;m; a maximum G'/G&#x2032;ratio of more than 2.0, wherein G&#x2032; represents the elastic modulus at 10&#xb0; C. of a dispersion of 2 wt. % of the compacted fat powder in glycerol, and wherein the maximum ratio is determined by recording G&#x2032;whilst increasing the frequency from 0.1 to 15 s, by subsequently recording G&#x2032;whilst decreasing said frequency from 15 to 0.1 sand by calculating the ratio G&#x2032;/G&#x2032;at the frequency at which said ratio is highest.

Process of compacting a microporous fat powder and compacted powder so obtained

The invention relates to a process of compacting a microporous fat powder, notably a microporous fat powder that can suitably be used as an oil structuring agent. The process comprises feeding said fat powder into the feed zone of an extruder having a forwarding screw and a barrel within which the forwarding screw is centrally positioned; rotating the forwarding screw to advance the fat powder feed through a compacting zone of the extruder, where the barrel comprises a plurality of venting openings having a shorter dimension that exceeds the volume weighted average diameter of the fat powder feed and that is less than 10 mm; and expelling the compacted fat powder from the extruder; wherein the temperature of the fat powder during passage through the extruder is maintained below 40&#xb0; C. and wherein the compaction factor achieved exceeds 1.5.

Process of compacting a microporous fat powder and compacted fat powder so obtained

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AT Vlaardingen, Netherlands

Albert Korres