The Procter Gamble Company

Bernard Y Tao

Richard B Lomneth

Daniel R Blair

Robert Lawrence Prosise

Michael W Tafuri

Gary L Parnell

A structural fat particularly suitable for margarines and other emulsified spreads, especially stick-type products is disclosed. This fat has a unique triglyceride composition. The important positional isomers are the SSS, SOS, SSO and SOO/SLS triglycerides, wherein S=saturated fatty acid residue, O=oleic acid residue and L=linoleic acid residue. The weight ratios of palmitic to stearic acid and oleic to linoleic acid residues attached to the glycerides are important. The fat can be obtained from a solventless two-step thermal fractionation of palm oil.

Structural fat and method for making same

A margarine oil product useful for margarines and other emulsified spreads, especially stick-type products is disclosed. The margarine oil product comprises a soft oil and a particular structural fat, and is characterized by solid fat content and fatty acid composition. The structural fat used to make it has a unique triglyceride composition in terms of positional isomers and Fatty Acid Composition. The important positional isomers are the SSS, SOS, SSO and SOO/SLS triglycerides, wherein S=palmitic or stearic acid, O=oleic acid, and L=linoleic acid. The weight ratios of palmitic to stearic acid (P:St) and oleic to linoleic (O:L) acid residues attached to the glycerides are important.

Margarine oil product

A margarine or other emulsified spread and methods for making these are disclosed. A water-in-oil emulsion is formed by mixing an aqueous base with an oil phase containing a margarine fat which comprises a soft oil and a structural fat having a unique melting profile and triglyceride composition. The emulsion is chilled to a temperature of from about 15.degree. F. (-9.degree. C.) to about 45.degree. F. (7.degree. C.) over a time period of at least about 0.5 minutes. The chilled emulsion is then crystallized over a time period of at least about 3 minutes. Due to heat generated during crystallization, the crystallized emulsion is preferably chilled further to a temperature of from about 15.degree. F. (-9.degree. C.) to about 40.degree. F. (4.degree. C.) over a time period of at least about 0.2 minutes. For stick-type products, the combination of chilling the emulsion to cooler temperatures together with longer residence times for crystallization provides spreads having sufficient viscosity to form stick-type products with conventional margarine equipment. This emulsified spread is characterized by a slump grade of at least 8 after one hour at 80.degree. F. and a Hot Probe value of at least about 11.3 (.degree.F./6 sec.).

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Bernard Y Tao