Effect of water and monoglyceride concentration on the behaviour of monoglyceride containing fat systems

The effect of water and monoglycerides on the structural behaviour of a selected fat system was investigated to explore their role in structure development of products like margarine and sponge cake. Firstly, the monoglyceride and triglyceride system was selected based on solid fat content (SFC) determination. This system was further investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized light microscopy (PLM). Secondly, the role of water concentration in this system was investigated by SFC-determination and hardness measurements at different water concentrations. These investigations demonstrate clearly the important role of water, especially at lower concentrations. Finally, the influence of monoglycerides on droplet size distribution in margarines and on textural properties of sponge cakes was investigated. These investigations reveal a larger droplet size of monoglyceride containing margarines and a more dense and harder texture of sponge cakes containing monoglycerides.