Effect of fractional crystallization on composition and thermal characteristics of avocado (Persea americana) butter

• Published in: Journal of thermal analysis and calorimetry 2013-03, Vol.111 (3), p.2203-2209
• Main Authors: Yanty, N. A. M., Marikkar, J. M. N., Che Man, Y. B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetone; Analytical Chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Butter; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composition effects; Crystals; Derivatives; Fat industries; Fatty acids; Food industries; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Inorganic Chemistry; Liquors; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Olein; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Stearin; Triglycerides
• ISSN: 1388-6150; 1588-2926; 1572-8943
• DOI: 10.1007/s10973-011-2055-y

Fractionation of plant butters like avocado ( Persea americana ) may yield useful fat derivatives with distinct physical and functional properties. In this study, avocado butter was sequentially crystallized in acetone at 5 °C (2 h), 0 °C (24 h), and −20 °C (24 h) until the mother-liquor becomes devoid of any crystal formation. The high-melting stearin isolated at 5 °C and low-melting olein isolated at −20 °C were compared with the original sample in terms of fatty acid and triacylglycerol (TAG) compositions and thermal profiles. With respect to the original sample, low-melting olein is possessed with higher proportions of diunsaturated and triunsaturated TAG while high-melting stearin is found to become enriched with disaturated and trisaturated TAG molecules. These differences in compositions make the basic physico-chemical parameters as well as the thermal profiles of high-melting stearin and low-melting olein to be distinctly different from those of the original sample.