Internal and external factors affecting the crystallization, gelation and applicability of wax-based oleogels in food industry

Wax-based oleogelation has been emerged as a potential alternative to conventional oil structuring. The gelling behavior of natural waxes in liquid oils is governed by the polarity of the solvents, and by the wax crystal morphologies, which are determined by the nature and chain length of the chemical components present in waxes. In addition, the gelling behavior of wax-based oleogels can be tuned by altering the cooling and shear rates, and by changing the time and temperature of cooling. These factors strongly influence the physicochemical properties as well as the storage stability of wax-based oleogels. In addition, the application of wax-based oleogel in food formulations has encountered some technical challenges due to the incompatibility between oleogels and saturated fats, and due to the insufficient amount of solid content provided by waxes. With regard to the sensorial aspect, the waxy mouthfeel might be an obstacle restricting the acceptance of wax-based products in food markets. This review therefore provides a concise overview relating to the internal (chemical composition of natural waxes, type and polarity of solvents) and external factors (cooling rate, shear rate, storage time, and co-structuring) affecting the crystallization and gelation of wax-based oleogels, as well as their potential application in producing low-saturated fat products in food industry.