Binary fat blends based on Irvingia gabonensis seed fat as hard stock to formulate trans-free margarines

In order to formulate trans-free margarine fats, Irvingia gabonensis seed fat (IGF) was blended with liquid oils which are rapeseed oil (RO), groundnut oil (GNO), palm super olein (PSO) and Dacryodes edulis pulp oil (DPO). All the binary blends were evaluated in terms of melting behavior by p-NMR. Four blends (IGF/RO 3:7, IGF/GNO 3:7, IGF/GNO 2:8 and IGF/RO 2:8) were selected based on their melting profiles compared to reference: fat extracted from commercial margarines (bakery, baking, table and mix of table and baking) and literature SFC data. Some physical properties of the selected blends such as SFC, hardness, microstructure and polymorphism were analyzed directly after two different static crystallization processes and after two weeks of storage at 15°C. Those four blends showed β’ crystal as stable polymorphic form, which is desirable for margarine fats. Therefore, those four blends were suitable for formulating trans-free margarines with desirable textural properties.