Stability Assessment of Virgin Coconut Oil‐Based Emulsion Products

Abstract

In recent years, there has been dramatic growth in the market for virgin coconut oil (VCO). VCO, a promising functional food oil, has gained popularity and captured public attention worldwide. Two VCO-based emulsion products were developed as a new nutritional food supplement with the aim of increasing the consumption of VCO. The stability of VCO-based emulsion products was assessed during a storage period of 3 months to gauge the quality of the optimized VCO-based emulsions. The particle-size distributions of the VCO-based emulsions remained stable throughout the 3-month storage period at 25 and at 50 C. However, a slight increase in the particle sizes was observed in the VCO-based emulsions samples after 2 months of storage at 4 C. Nevertheless, phase separation did not occur in either of the VCO-based emulsions products throughout the storage-stability assessment period. No signs of microbial growth were detected in the emulsion products during the storage period. Furthermore, no significant changes in the free fatty acid contents of the emulsion products were observed during storage at 4 or 25 C throughout the storage period. The VCO-based emulsion products possessed sufficient emulsion stability to withstand changes at different storage temperatures.

Sunflower Wax-Based Oleogel Emulsions: Physicochemical Characterizations and Food Application

“…This outcome indicates the good structural stability for all samples, which will be beneficial in practical applications. As per the reported literature, for virgin coconut oil-based emulsions, the particle size of emulsions was found to increase with storage time due to partial coalescence, clumping, or aggregation of some oil crystals . In the case of peppermint- and origanum oil-based emulsions, a more pronounced increase in oil droplet size has been observed .…”

“…In food emulsions, diameters of droplets generally range from 0.1 to 100 μm. The emulsifier efficiently forms a protective film over the droplets as the lipophilic part binds to the oil droplet surface and the hydrophilic part binds with water and helps to prevent its aggregation …”

“…The time taken for crystal formation depends on numerous factors like the composition of wax used, the type of oil, melting points of components, the crystal nature, etc. Gum arabic as the emulsifier in an oleogel emulsion displayed good properties by protecting oil droplets, and it delayed the fat crystallization process …”

“…An oleogelation technique emerged as a powerful tool for producing trans-fat as well as solid fat free food materials. ,− However, limitations were related to the direct use of oleogels, offering new methodologies for further development. Stabilization of oleogels by converting them into emulsions by using different stabilizers plays a vital role to improve their physicochemical properties and food-related applications. , The unsaturated fatty acids present in oils are highly susceptible to oxidation, which leads to oxidative instability. This oxidative instability affects the flavor of the product.…”

“…It is used to give proper taste and to expand the antioxidant ability of oleogel emulsions. It may also help to fulfill the requirement of an acidic pH in food emulsions to constrain the microbial activity and increase its shelf life . The type of oil is also an important factor in oleogel emulsions as it should have a balanced fatty acid profile and an appropriate content of an essential fatty acid. , The selection of the oil is a critical factor while identifying the oleogels with high stability and thermal, textural, and rheological properties like those of solid fats …”