Virgin coconut oil oleogel: gelation mechanism, rheological, structural and thermal properties
Pinchu Elizabath Thomas, M. Saravanan, P. Prabhasankar
Abstract
Summary A monocomponent oleogel was prepared by combining virgin coconut oil (VCO) with stearic acid (SA) as a structuring agent. The results showed that higher gelator concentrations significantly enhanced the oil binding capacity. The microstructural and thermodynamic properties revealed that higher SA content resulted in a stronger gel network structure. The rheological properties confirmed the pseudoplastic or shear thinning nature of oleogels, as viscosity decreased with increasing shear rate. Moreover, the temperature sweep test emphasised that SA concentration influenced the gelling point. Additionally, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra documented that oleogelation occurred due to the physical interaction of oleogel components as a result of a supramolecular assembly of the gelator. Collectively, the obtained results suggested that solid fat alternatives can be prepared from VCO, which will pave the way for the production of healthy bakery products to promote health benefits through straightforward oil structuring techniques.