Vegetable and Mineral Oil Organogels Based on Monoglyceride and Lecithin Mixtures

• Published in: Food biophysics 2019-09, Vol.14 (3), p.326-345
• Main Authors: Aguilar-Zárate, M., De la Peña-Gil, A., Álvarez-Mitre, F. M., Charó-Alonso, M. A., Toro-Vazquez, J. F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Biological and Medical Physics; Biophysics; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Edible oils; Elastic properties; Elastic recovery; Elasticity; Food Science; Lecithin; Mineral oils; Monoglycerides; Original Article; Phase separation; Synergistic effect; Vegetables
• ISSN: 1557-1858; 1557-1866
• DOI: 10.1007/s11483-019-09583-1

We investigated the development of vegetable (VO) and mineral (MO) oil organogels using mixtures of a commercial monoglycerides (MG C ) and saturated lecithin (LC) . The MG C (2% wt/wt) and LC (0.25% to 2.5% wt/wt) concentrations used in the MG C -LC mixtures were below the minimal gelator concentrations in the oils. At the corresponding Moles MGC /Mole LC studied (1.5, 4.0, 7.6, and 15.3) we achieved the development of well-structured organogels in both oils. The highest elasticity ( G’ ) of the MG C -LC organogels was achieved in each type of oil at different Moles MGC /Mole LC . Thus, in the MO we obtained the highest G’ at the lowest Moles MGC /Mole LC (i.e., the highest %LC) and in the organogels with the highest solid fat content (%SC). In contrast, in the VO we obtained the highest G’ at 15.3 Moles MGC /Mole LC (i.e., at the lowest %LC) corresponding to the organogels with the lowest %SC. This behavior suggested that a solvent dependent synergistic effect existed between the MG C and the LC. Additional experiments showed that the addition of water (2.5% to 10% of water/total mass of gelator) resulted in organogels with higher G’ , particularly in the 1.5 Moles MGC /Mole LC organogels developed in the MO. The DSC and X-ray results showed that in the MG C -LC organogels the Lα to β polymorphic transition was limited, and thus the MG C -LC organogels did not show phase separation even after 12 months of storage at 15 °C. This behavior was accentuated in MG C -LC organogels developed in presence of water. Therefore, the use of MG C -LC systems open the possibility of developing organogels at lower concentrations than the concentration needed just by the use of monoglyceride. Additionally, the MG C -LC organogels achieve higher G’ with elastic recovery properties, and longer stability against phase separation than MG C organogels. This, particularly in the 1.5 Moles MGC /Mole LC organogels developed in MO with at least 5% of water/total mass of gelator.