Archive | 2021
Synergistic phase behaviors of phytosterols and phytosterol esters in medium chain triglycerides
Abstract
Free phytosterols (PS) and phytosterol esters (PSE) usually coexist in\nnatural oils, which significantly affect the crystallization behavior of\noil. However, the phase behaviors of PS/PSE mixtures in oils and their\nroles on the crystallization behavior of oil are still unclear. In this\nstudy, the dissolution and crystallization behaviors of PS/PSE mixtures\nin medium chain triglyceride (MCT) were studied, and the synergistic\nmechanism of PS/PSE mixtures on the crystallization behaviors of MCT was\nfurther clarified. The results showed that when the mass ratio of PS:\nPSE was greater than 3: 7, PS/PSE mixtures recrystallized a new\nurchin-like crystal structure, which was different from PS spherical or\nPSE plate-like crystal structure, in MCT. The new urchin-like PS/PSE\ncrystal had a larger surface area, and its melting point was between PS\nand PSE. It also showed the synergistic ability to promote the\ncrystallization nucleation of MCT. When the total content of PS and PSE\nwas 1 wt%, and the mass ratio of PS: PSE was 5: 5, the crystallization\npeak temperature of PS/PSE/MCT was 12 ºC higher than that of virgin MCT,\n2.5 ºC higher than that of PSE/MCT, and 10.3 ºC higher than that of\nPS/MCT. These results not only provide a method for obtaining new\ncrystal structure of phytosterols, but also have great significance for\ncontrolling the crystallization behaviors of oils by precisely adjusting\nthe nutritional composition of oils.