Potential application of pomegranate seed oil oleogels based on monoglycerides, beeswax and propolis wax as partial substitutes of palm oil in functional chocolate spread

- We evaluated oleogel as a partial replacement of palm oil in chocolate spread.
- The results showed that structuring agent influenced chocolate spread hardness.
- Chocolate spread containing monoglyceride was harder than beeswax and propolis wax.
- During storage, crystal transformation or reorganization changed the hardness.
- Oleogel-palm oil mixture displaced a good oil binding capacity in chocolate spread.

In this research, the effectiveness of pomegranate seed oil oleogel as a partial replacement of fat phase in chocolate spread was studied. Monoglyceride (MG), beeswax (BW) and propolis wax (PW) have been used as structuring agents at 5 g/100 g concentration to gel pomegranate seed oil. The oleogels were then combined with palm oil at 1:1 ratio. Different techniques, including polarized light microscopy, synchrotron XRD, mechanical analyses, and oil binding capacity were used to study the physical and mechanical properties of the palm oil-oleogel systems and chocolate spreads. Results highlighted that MG, BW and PW chemical nature led to the formation of different crystalline network in palm oil-oleogel systems. Chocolate spreads containing palm oil-oleogels showed an increase in the mechanical parameters in the order of PW < BW < MG. This trend might be attributed to the chemical composition of oleogelators and physical bonds formed in the samples. During storage, crystal transformation in MG and structural reorganization in waxes (PW and BW) samples showed a gradual decrease and increase in hardness, respectively. These findings could provide useful information in the application of pomegranate seed oil oleogel for novel confectionery products engineering.