The crystal structure of palm oil-based whipping cream was studied. Various proportions of refined, bleached, and deodorized palm oil (RBDPO) and palm kernel oil (RBDPKO) were prepared and their crystal structure and thermal profile were observed by an X-ray diffractometer and a differential scanning calorimeter, respectively. The results showed that all blends possessed a stable and shiny β' polymorph at 25°C, which showed that RBDPO and RBDPKO were appropriate for producing a nondairy whipping cream. Some eutectic effect was observed in some blends, which was attributed to the complex combination of TAG in RBDPO and RBDPKO. Paper no. J10388 in JAOCS 80, 409-415 (May 2003).KEY WORDS: Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), nondairy whipping cream, RBDPO, RBDPKO, X-ray diffraction (XRD).The fats and oils present in natural plant sources are mixtures of different types of TAG. The complicated behavior of melting, crystallization and transformation, crystal morphology, and aggregation of real-fat systems is due in part to the physical properties of the component TAG and in part, or more importantly, to the phase behavior of the mixtures. A TAG usually possesses three polymorphs: α, β′, and β. The crystallization behavior of the TAG, such as crystallization rate, crystal size and crystal network, crystal morphology, and crystallinity, is directly influenced by polymorphism, whereas polymorphism per se is influenced by several external factors, such as temperature, pressure, solvent, rate of crystallization, and impurities (1). The crystallization behavior of fats and lipids plays an important role in two major industrial processes: (i) processing of the end products made from fat crystals, such as chocolates, whipping creams, and so on, and (ii) separation of specific fats and lipids from the natural plant sources (1). The amount and type of crystals (or solids) present and the strength of the crystal network determine the texture. β′ crystals are the most desirable because they are relatively small and can incorporate a large amount of liquid oil into the crystal network (2). At least 40% of the fat must be crystalline to promote partial coalescence and add rigidity to the air bubble interface (3).Temperature strongly influences the physical properties of fat crystals. Fats can undergo a reversible solid-liquid phase transition (4), which can exert an influence on the final rheological behavior of an emulsion (5).The presence of fat crystals in whipping cream can either stabilize or destabilize emulsion droplets, depending on whether they are intraglobular or in the continuous phase (6). Rousseau (7) investigated the properties of fat crystals and their influence on emulsion stability and found that crystals had a determining impact on the structure and stability of an emulsion. To assist in the stabilization of emulsions, fat particles (such as fat crystals) must collect at the emulsion droplet interface, providing a physical barrier to coalescence. Emulsifiers can also interact with fat crystals. Proteins play ...