Control of physical properties of lipid whisker oleogels by crystal morphology regulation

The increasing demand for alternative foods made from soybeans and other plant-derived materials highlights a critical challenge, and in the present case, the reproduction of "juiciness" for alternative meats. The use of oleogels has strong potential to overcome such an integral problem for alternative meats. We have recently demonstrated that oleogels can be manufactured with the addition of only 0.5 wt% fully hydrogenated hard palm oil mid-fraction (FHHPMF), and have a network structure composed of single-crystal lipid whiskers. Here, we discuss the growth mechanism of lipid whisker crystals using high-purity 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-stearoylglycerol (PSP), which is a major component of FHHPMF. We also demonstrate that the physical properties of lipid whisker oleogels can be controlled by regulation of the growth of lipid whisker crystals in the oleogels. Therefore, this novel manufacturing technology of oleogels has strong potential to advance the technology of plant-based meats.