Development, Characterization, and Utilization of Food-Grade Polymer Oleogels

Abstract

The potential of organogels (oleogels) for oil structuring has been identified and investigated extensively using different gelator-oil systems in recent years. This review provides a comprehensive summary of all oil-structuring systems found in the literature, with an emphasis on ethyl-cellulose (EC), the only direct food-grade polymer oleogelator. EC is a semicrystalline material that undergoes a thermoreversible sol-gel transition in the presence of liquid oil. This unique behavior is based on the polymer's ability to associate through physical bonds. These interactions are strongly affected by external fields such as shear and temperature, as well as by solvent chemistry, which in turn strongly affect final gel properties. Recently, EC-based oleogels have been used as a replacement for fats in foods, as heat-resistance agents in chocolate, as oil-binding agents in bakery products, and as the basis for cosmetic pastes. Understanding the characteristics of the EC oleogel is essential for the development of new applications.

Using Canola Oil Organogels as Fat Replacement in Liver Pâté

“…Consequently, they can negatively affect texture and sensory properties of food products. Recently, the introduction of edible organogels, prepared with ethylcellulose, opened the door to systematically structure vegetable oils (Davidovich‐Pinhas, Barbut, & Marangoni, ; Stortz, Zetzl, Barbut, Cattaruzza, & Marangoni, ). Currently there are several successful applications of organogels, including stabilizing food emulsions, replacement of animal fat in some meat and baked goods, as well as slow release of bioactive components (Marangoni & Garti, ; Patel, ).…”

Physical Properties, Microstructure, Intermolecular Forces, and Oxidation Stability of Soybean Oil Oleogels Structured by Different Cellulose Ethers

“…In 2003, World Health Organization (WHO) and International Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) suggested limiting the amount of trans fatty acids to 1% of the total energy intake, and Denmark was the first country to limit intake of trans fatty acids. [7,8] Varieties of oleogelators (fatty acids and alcohols, waxes and wax esters, monoglycerides, phytosterols, ceramides, and others) have been used to structure oleogels which have some advantages and disadvantages, respectively. In 2015, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared to ban the use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in commercial food products by 2018.…”

Utilization of Oleogels as a Replacement for Solid Fat in Aerated Baked Goods: Physicochemical, Rheological, and Tomographic Characterization

“…Through the oleogelation, liquid oils are entrapped within a 3‐dimensional matrix, generating oleogels without chemical modifications (Marangoni ). The oleogels show thus solid‐like properties, although they contain high amounts of unsaturated fatty acids and also low amounts of saturated fatty acids (Davidovich‐Pinhas and others ). In recent years, oleogels have begun to be applied to several processed foods such as chocolate and spreads (Patel and others ), ice cream (Zulim Botega and others ), cookies (Jang and others ; Yılmaz and others ; Mert and others ; Mert and others ), and frankfurters (Zetzl and others ).…”