Fractionation of anhydrous milk fat by short‐path distillation

Abstract

Abstract Anhydrous milk fat was fractionated by short‐path distillation into four fractions at temperatures of 245 and 265 C and pressures of 220 and 100 μm Hg. Two fractions (LF1 and LF2) were liquid, one fraction (IF) was semi‐solid and one fraction (SF) was solid at room temperature. The fractions were characterized by melting temperature profile, solid fat index and triglyceride and fatty acid compositions. The peak melting temperature progressively increased (8.8 to 38.7 C) from liquid to solid fractions. The solid fat content ranged from 0 to 27.5% at 20 C, while native milk fat was 15.4%. The short chain (C24–C34) triglycerides were enriched in the LF1 fraction, long chain (C42–C54) triglycerides were concentrated in the SF fraction, and medium chain (C36–C40) triglycerides in the IF fraction; in the LF2 fraction, though, both short and medium chain triglycerides were enriched. Short chain (C4–C8) fatty acids gradually decreased from liquid to solid fractions and the trend was reverse for long chain (C14–C18) fatty acids, both saturated and unsaturated. The weight average molecular weights and geometric mean‐carbon number of milk fat fractions were in the range of 590.7–782.8 and 31.9–46.3, respectively, compared to 729.3 and 41.0, respectively, for native milk fat, suggesting short‐path distillation effects a very high degree of molecular weight separation.