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High-intensity ultrasound (HIU) was used in a continuous system to change the crystallization behavior of palm oil. Different power levels (75, 110, and 180 W) and pulse durations (continuous application and 5, 10, and 15 s pulses) were used to optimize sonication conditions. Results showed that HIU applied at low power level (75 W) was the most efficient condition in inducing palm oil crystallization at 35 °C, generating a crystalline network with higher solid fat content (SFC), higher elasticity, and sharper melting profile after 60 min of crystallization. Changes in elasticity observed as a consequence of sonication were maintained after tempering the samples at 25 °C for 24 h, but were lost after tempering at 5 °C. No significant differences (α = 0.05) were observed in SFC values of the sonicated and nonsonicated samples after tempering, whereas the sharper melting behavior observed in the sonicated sample was maintained after tempering.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of wax concentration (0.5 and 1%), cooling rate (0.1, 1, and 10 °C/min), and high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) on the crystallization behavior of beeswax (BW) in six different edible oils. Samples were crystallized at 25 °C with and without HIU. Crystal sizes and morphologies and melting profiles were measured by microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively, after 7 days of incubation. Higher wax concentrations resulted in faster crystallization and more turbidity. Phase separation was observed due to crystals' sedimentation when samples were crystallized at slow cooling rates. Results showed that HIU induced the crystallization of 0.5% BW samples and delayed phase separation in sunflower, olive, soybean, and corn oils. Similar effects were observed in 1% samples where HIU delayed phase separation in canola, soybean, olive, and safflower oils.

High intensity ultrasound (HIU) was used to change the crystallization behavior, generate small crystals, and improve the texture of a low saturated shortening (interesterified soybean oil). Samples were crystallized at different temperatures (26, 28, 30, and 32 °C) without and with the application of HIU. Different acoustic power levels (110, 72, 61, 54, and 44 W) were used. Results show that higher acoustic powers had a greater effect on crystal size reduction, induced crystallization, and generated harder, more elastic and viscous materials. These effects were more significant when HIU was applied in the presence of crystals and when the sample was crystallized at 32 °C.

The effect of cooling rate on the crystallization behavior of mixes of high-melting milk fat fraction (HMF) and sunflower oil (SFO) was studied by following nucleation with laser-polarized turbidimetry. The initial crystals were photographed, and their thermal and polymorphic behaviors, as well as chemical composition, were investigated by calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and capillary gas chromatography. Activation energies of nucleation were calculated using the Fisher-Turnbull equation. Despite small differences in Mettler dropping points for different ratios of SFO to HMF, induction times were significantly different between samples and were shorter at a slow cooling rate for the same supercooling. Rapidly cooled samples required more time at crystallization temperature to crystallize than slowly cooled samples because molecular organization prior to nuclei formation took place under different conditions. Regardless of cooling rate or composition, all crystals were in the beta' polymorph. However, morphology, thermal behavior, and chemical composition showed differences with cooling rate. Activation free energies of nucleation were of the same order of magnitude as those published for hydrogenated SFO.

This research evaluates the effect of sunflower oil wax (SFOw) addition on the crystallization behavior and functional properties of anhydrous milk fat (AMF). Induction times of nucleation, melting behavior, microstructure of crystals, and hardness were evaluated for samples of pure AMF and AMF with 0.1 and 0.25% SFOw. Results from this research show that the addition of waxes induced the onset of crystallization of AMF by inducing its nucleation, as evidenced by decreased induction times of nucleation and the formation of smaller crystals. Crystal growth after tempering was also promoted by waxes, and significantly harder lipid networks were obtained. Results presented in this paper suggest that SFOw can be used as an additive to alter the physiochemical properties of low trans-fatty acid lipids.

The effects of addition of the sucrose esters (SE) P-1670, P-170, and S-170 to a high-melting fraction of milk fat (HMF) and its blends with sunflower oil (SFO) on nucleation and growth were studied by laser polarized light turbidimetry and polarized light microscopy (PLM). The three SE delayed nucleation of HMF at the temperatures selected. P-1670 did not modify average crystal size after 3 h at crystallization temperature (T(c)) or crystal size distribution and modified crystallization kinetics only slightly. P-170 and S-170, however, markedly diminished crystal size and narrowed crystal size distribution. Activation free energies of nucleation at equivalent supercooling, calculated using the Fisher-Turnbull equation, significantly increased with addition of SE. According to these results, among the mechanisms described in the literature for fats or emulsions, the cocrystallization hypothesis is the one that better described the effects of sucrose esters on crystallization behavior in these systems.