Modulating the Rheology of Oleogels to Mimic the Functionality of Commercial Fats

Abstract

The quest for edible oleogels mimicking the functionality of commercial plastic fats has been an active research topic over the last decade. Plastic fats are used to shorten the crumb in baked goods, entrap air in whipped creams, disperse and immobilize solids in confections, enhance lubrication and spreading in margarine, among other applications. These functions are based on the rheological properties of plastic fats. Thus, the replacement of this type of fats with edible oleogels implies matching their rheological behavior under processing, storage, and consumption conditions. This chapter discusses the impact of compositional changes, thermal history, and shearing on the rheological properties of edible oleogels structured with wax, ethylcellulose, monoglycerols, fatty acids, and fatty alcohols. In the same way we discuss strategies to modulate oleogel elasticity and mechanical recovery (i.e., thixotropy) to improve the performance of oleogels in foods.