Ethylcellulose has been recently shown to be an excellent organogelator for vegetable oils. The resulting gels maintain the fatty acid profile of the vegetable oil used, but posses a solid-like structure that can be useful for the replacement of saturated fats in food products. Texture profile analysis and the back extrusion technique were used to assess the mechanical properties of canola, soybean, and flaxseed oil oleogels consisting of 10% ethylcellulose and 90% vegetable oil. Oils with a higher degree of unsaturation were shown to produce harder gels. Oleogels containing ethylcellulose of three molecular weights and reduced polymer concentrations from 4-10% ethylcellulose were also tested using the back extrusion technique, resulting in an increase in gel strength as polymer concentration and molecular weight increased. Therefore, oleogel strength was shown to be dependant on polymer molecular weight, concentration, and the fatty acid composition of the vegetable oil. Scanning electron microscopy was also used to provide a greater understanding of the gel's microstructure. In addition, frankfurters were made using canola oil oleogels to assess the possibility for replacement of the more highly saturated animal fat in such a product. Cooked frankfurters made with oleogels showed no significant differences in chewiness or hardness compared to the control products made with beef fat. These results provide the first in-depth characterization of ethylcellulose oleogels, and could potentially aid in the design/manufacture of ethylcellulose oleogels with specific textural properties to replace saturated fat in a variety of food products.

Organogelators such as 12‐hydroxystearic acid and ethylcellulose have been shown to structure vegetable oils at levels below 8%. The resultant gels retain the fatty acid profile of the vegetable oil, yet provide solid‐like properties that can successfully replace saturated fats in a variety of food products including cookies, creams, and frankfurters and sausages. Furthermore, organogel technology can be used for the controlled or delayed release of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. With the development of food grade organogelators, this will allow for the use of oleogels in a large variety of food and pharmaceutical applications.

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Differential scanning microcalorimetry coupled to Synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to characterize the mesomorphic phases of monostearin ; a series of dispersions of monostearin and stearic acid (95:5 w/w) in alkaline water were prepared in the range 5-90% (w/w). Samples were subjected to both melting and cooling regimes from 45 to 81 at 2 °C/min in a Microcalix machine (an X-ray sample chamber with microcalorimetry capabilities), while X-ray spectra and the microcalorimetric trace were being collected simultaneously. Using these two techniques, two-dimensional phase diagrams of the mesomorphic phases (lyotropic and thermotropic liquid crystalline phases as well as the crystalline, hydrated gel phases) of monostearin was created, one for heating and one for cooling, and the typical X-ray diffraction pattern for each of the phases was identified. Polarized light microscopy was also used in an attempt to differentiate and identify the mesomorphic phases. Furthermore, the largest d-spacings (which includes the thickness of the water domain and the lipid bilayer) for each of the different monostearin concentrations were plotted at 73 °C during heating and when cooling, to better understand the water binding capacity of the different mesomorphic phases. This information will provide guidance for the use of these unique phases in food and pharmaceutical applications.