RESTRUCTURING BUTTERFAT THROUGH BLENDING AND CHEMICAL INTERESTERIFICATION .2. MICROSTRUCTURE AND POLYMORPHISM

Blending of butterfat with canola oil and subsequent chemical interest erification modified the crystal morphology and X-ray diffraction patt erns of butterfat, 90:10 (w/w), and 80:20 (w/w) blends of butterfat-ca nola oil. The morphology of 50:50 (w/w) was also greatly influenced by interesterification. Polarized light microscopy revealed that additio n of canola oil led to gradual aggregation of the crystal structure. S canning electron microscopy revealed all samples to be mixtures of def ined crystalline regions and amorphous areas with greater amorphism as oil content increased. Most samples revealed segregation of solid fro m liquid. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of butterfat revealed com plex aggregated structures that were composed of outwardly radiating f ilaments from a central nucleus. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a predominance of beta' and a small proportion of beta crystals for all samples examined except interesterified butterfat, which consisted so lely of beta' crystals.