Evaluation of soybean oil-carnauba wax oleogels as an alternative to high saturated fat frying media for instant fried noodles

- Soybean (SB) oil was structured with carnauba wax to develop solid-like oleogels.
- Oleogels showed a rapid viscosity change and high crossover temperature of G′ and G″.
- Oil uptake of oleogel-fried noodles was lower than that of palm and SB oil noodles.
- Oleogels were more effective in retarding the oxidation of fried noodles than SB oil.
- Use of oleogels for PM oil produced fried noodles low in saturated fat (54%.→19%).

Soybean oil was structured with carnauba wax to develop solid-like oleogels that were evaluated in instant fried noodles as an alternative to deep-fat frying medium containing high saturated fat. A more rapid change in viscosity with temperature was observed in the oleogels with increasing levels of carnauba wax. Upon heating, the storage (G′) and loss (G″) moduli of oleogels and palm oil decreased with a greater temperature dependence of G′, showing the crossover of G' and G”. Compared to the palm and soybean oil-fried noodles, the samples fried in the oleogels absorbed approximately 16% less oil which could be correlated with their scanning electron microscopic images. However, there were no negative effects on the noodle texture. The levels of saturated fatty acids in the oleogel-fried noodles were significantly reduced (19 g/100 g), compared to the palm oil-fried noodles (54 g/100 g). Lower peroxide values during storage were observed in the following order: palm oil, oleogel, and soybean oil-fried noodles.