MARGARINE AND SHORTENING OILS BY INTERESTERIFICATION OF LIQUID AND TRISATURATED TRIGLYCERIDES

Liquid vegetable oils (VO), including cottonseed, peanut, soybean, cor n, and canola, were randomly interesterified with completely hydrogena ted soybean or cottonseed hardstocks (vegetable oil trisaturate; VOTS) in ratios of four parts VO and one part VOTS. Analysis of the reactio n products by high-performance liquid chromatography showed that at 70 degrees C and vigorous agitation, with 0.5% sodium methoxide catalyst , the reactions were complete after 15 min. Solid-fat index (SFI) meas urements made at 50, 70, 80, 92, and 104 degrees F, along with drop me lting points, indicated that the interesterified fats possess plastici ty curves in the range of commercial soft tub margarine oils prepared by blending hydrogenated stocks. Shortening basestocks were prepared b y randomly interesterifying palm or soybean ail with VOTS in ratios of 1:1 or 3:1 or 4:1, respectively. Blending of the interesterified base stocks with additional liquid VO yielded products having SFI curves ve ry similar to commercial all purpose-type shortening oils made by blen ding hydrogenated stocks. Other studies show that fluid-type shortenin g oils can be prepared through blending of interesterified basestocks with liquid VO. X-ray diffraction studies showed that the desirable be ta' crystal structure is achieved through interesterification and blen ding.