Abstract
Six different formulations, corresponding to three types of fat (hydrogenated or refined coconut oils or refined palm oil) and two
mixtures of mono- and di-glycerides, namely saturated and partially unsaturated were chosen to investigate the influence of the oil
phase nature and the low molecular weight emulsifier type on the networks present in ice cream. Ice creams were characterized for
particle size distribution of fat globules, melting resistance and amount of proteins in the aqueous phase. Variation of rheological
parameters as a function of temperature allowed following the ice network melting, the fat globule aggregation state and
destabilization, and the structural arrangement of proteins. Presence of unsaturated fatty acids in the emulsifier promoted an
increased percentage of agglomerated fat globules, increased melting time and higher storage modulus values at 5 1C. The influence
of the fat type on ice cream characteristics was mainly illustrated by different rheological parameters and, to a lesser extent, by
melting time, whereas the amount of proteins in the aqueous phase did not allow discriminating among the formulations.
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