Modifying sucrose esters oleogels properties using different structuration routes.

Area of Science:

• Food science and technology
• Material science
• Physical chemistry

Background:

• Sucrose esters (SE) are established emulsifiers.
• Limited research exists on SEs as oleogelators for structuring oils.
• Understanding SEs' oleogelation capacity is crucial for novel food ingredient development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the oleogelation capacity of commercial SEs with varying Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Balance (HLB) values.
• To explore alternative oleogelation routes (melting, ethanol, foam-template) for SEs.
• To characterize the physical properties of SE-based oleogels.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of four SEs (SP10-HLB2, SP30-HLB6, SP50-HLB11, SP70-HLB15).
• Application of three oleogelation routes: traditional melting, ethanol-assisted, and foam-template.
• Assessment of physical properties including hardness and elastic modulus.

Main Results:

• Only SP50 (10% SE) via the ethanol route formed a solid-like oleogel with significant hardness (0.4 ± 0.1 N) and elastic modulus (4589 ± 89 Pa).
• SP70 showed potential as an oleogel using the foam-template method due to superior oil binding capacity.
• SP10 formed a liquid gel, and SP30 did not form oleogels under any tested conditions.

Conclusions:

• The SP50 sucrose ester, utilizing an ethanol-assisted route, effectively creates structured oleogels.
• The foam-template method shows promise for specific SEs like SP70 in oleogel formation.
• SEs' oleogelation performance is highly dependent on their HLB value and the chosen processing route.