Preparation of fat spread by membrane emulsification method and assessmentof its stability

Fat spread was prepared by a emulsification method using a microporous glas s membrane. The stability of the product was assessed by measuring disperse d droplet size with elapsed time. We also measured the whiteness of the fat spread and examined the relation between whiteness and stability of fat sp read. The results showed that, as indicated by the change in dispersed drop let size, the spread made by the membrane emulsification method was more st able during storage or in heal shock than that made by the stirring emulsif ication method. This difference in stability was thought to be attributable to the structure of crystal of the fat and location of droplet in fat spre ad. This consideration was supported by whiteness of the fat spread, sugges ting that the degree of whiteness of the fat spread can be used as a simple indicator of the state of the dispersed droplets. From these results, we c onfirm that it is possible to produce a more stable fat spread using the me mbrane emulsification method than by means of the conventional method (stir ring emulsification), and that this method will be practically applicable t o low fat spread production.