Summary
This study investigates the potential usage of unsaturated vegetable oil oleogel to replace solid milk fat in processed cheese products (PCPs). Soybean oil was gelled using rice bran wax (RBW) or sunflower wax (SW) at two different concentrations and used to produce PCPs with final concentrations of 0.5% or 1% wax. An ungelled oil PCP and a commercial milk fat processed cheese (CC) were produced for comparison. Upon compositional analysis, moisture and fat content were similar between oleogel PCPs (OPCP) and the CC sample; however, lower saturated fat content was observed in the OPCPs. Samples’ microscopy analysis revealed that the incorporation of oleogels reduced oil agglomeration observed in the ungelled PCPs, which confirms the presence of a higher oil holding capacity in the OPCPs. Rheological and thermomechanical analysis demonstrated comparable hardness, storage modulus and meltability values between the OPCPs and the control samples. This study provides insight into the potential applications for oleogels in the replacement milk fat in processed cheese products with desirable properties.
Curcumin, the bioactive compound found in turmeric, exhibits a wide range of health-promoting properties. However, its application in food formulations and as nutritional supplements is limited by its poor bioaccessibility. This study investigates the effects of curcumin on the structure formation and physical properties of oleogels made with three different concentrations of rice bran wax (RBW) (2%, 6%, and 10% w/w) compared to an ungelled control oil and examines the bioaccessibility of curcumin contained in those lipid systems. The physical and structural properties were characterized using a penetration test, solid fat content, polarized light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Data analysis revealed no significant differences in polymorphic or thermal properties between oleogels with and without curcumin; however, differences in microstructural properties were documented for oleogels with curcumin. Moreover, the percent of lipid crystallinity in 6% and 10% RBW oleogel increased in samples containing curcumin. An in vitro simulated digestion study showed that curcumin bioaccessibility significantly increased with increasing RBW content relative to the ungelled control. Results from this study provide insight into the potential utilization of RBW oleogels for delivering curcumin and other poorly water-soluble compounds in food, dietary supplement, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products.
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