Contribution of triglycerides from cocoa butter to the physical properties of milkfat fractions

Milkfat was separated into major chainlength fractions by solid-phase extraction. The effect on thermal behavior and texture of replacing both saturated and monounsaturated long-chain triglycerides from milkfat by long-chain monounsaturated triglycerides with an unsaturated fatty acid in the sn-2 position is reported. Increasing proportions of cocoa butter were added to fractions of short- to medium-chain triglycerides (C-22-C-44) and medium- to long-chain triglycerides (C-36-C-48) isolated from milkfat. Thermal behavior and texture of the mixtures were measured. Results indicated that long-chain monounsaturated triglycerides from cocoa butter enhanced co-crystallization and co-operative melting and did not induce polymorphic transitions upon crystallization and melting of the fractions. At 4 degrees C, they acted as texture builder if present in proportions of more than 30%, whereas below this level, they acted as texture softeners. The effect of the long-chain monounsaturated triglycerides on the texture of fractions that melt at low temperature could not be predicted from the proportion of solid fat at that temperature.