Crystallisation and melting behaviour of palm kernel oil and related products by differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract

Lauric oils are valuable sources for oils suitable for various food applications. They are particularly useful as cocoa butter substitutes for which steep solid fat content profiles are required. Palm kernel oil is one such fat, which upon fractionation and/or hydro-genation provides a variety of oil fractions with different oil composition and properties. The stearins have excellent properties for confectionery fats, while the oleins can be further hydrogenated to improve their properties. This paper gives an overview of the properties of products of palm kernel oil, produced from fractionation and hydrogena-tion. The melting and crystallisation properties from differential scanning calorimetry studies are discussed in relation to the triacylglycerols of the oils.