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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #116292
Title: SOFT MARGARINES FROM STEARIC ACID SOYBEAN OILS

Author
item List, Gary
item PELLOSO, T - BEATRICE FOODS, INDIANA
item ORTHOEFER, F - A.C. HUMKO, CORDOVA, TN
item Warner, Kathleen
item Neff, William

Submitted to: Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/11/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Traditional edible oil processing technologies, including hydrogenation, produce trans acids which have been implicated in raising serum cholesterol levels in humans. This research describes an alternative method to prepare margarines free of trans acids. Soybean oil was used in which the components were modified by plant breeding and chemical modification. Products were shown to be equivalent to those produced commercially with regard to spreadability, stability at room temperature, and melting in the mouth and texture.

Technical Abstract: Genetically modified soybean oils high in stearic acid were utilized in preparing soft margarine. Despite relatively high stearic contents, genetically modified soybean oils required random interesterification to raise their melting points and to achieve the proper solid fat index profiles. For example, oils containing 16-20% stearic acid have melting points of about 15-16 deg C and solid fat indexes of 8-12 at 10 deg C and essentially zero from 21.1 to 33.3 deg C. After random interesterification, melting points increased to about 34-36 deg C and solid fat indexes of 5-8 at 10 deg C, 2-3 at 21.2 deg C, and 1-2 at 33.3 deg C, which allowed them to be incorporated into soft margarines. A laboratory-scale scraped surface heat exchanger was used for crystallizing and chilling water in oil emulsions. Experimental margarine prepared in the laboratory showed suitable penetration, spreadability, and performed satisfactorily in oil/water loss tests.