Physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability of recombined butter substituted by fat rich in mono- and diacylglycerol from coconut stearin

ABSTRACTButter is generally made from milk fat, which contains high levels of saturated fatty acids, thus providing health risks. Therefore, alternatives are needed, namely recombined butter by substituting other healthier saturated fats, namely fat rich in monoacylglycerols (MAG) and diacylglycerols (DAG) from glycerolysis of coconut stearin which is rich in medium chain fatty acids, which are then called MAG-DAG fat (MDF). This research aimed to determine the effect of MDF substitution in recombined butter, which produced the best physicochemical and sensorial properties. The substitution of MDF was carried out at concentrations 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. Substitution of MDF had a significant effect on physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability. Recombined butter with substitution of MDF-5% produced good physicochemical properties and was liked by the panelists. Recombined butter of MDF-5% contained MAG, DAG, and triacylglycerol (TAG) of 0.48%, 8.71%, and 90.81%, respectively, and it had a higher medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) content, namely 10.72% compared to the MDF-0% (control) which was only 7.45%. The hardness, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness of recombined butter of MDF-5% were about 1247.44 N, −671.28 N, and 0,09 N, respectively. The crystal microstructure was in the form of small spherulites in large quantities, and polymorphism showed a mixture of β’- and β-crystals. Substitution of MDF-5% did not change the new functional groups, but increased the intensity of the hydroxyl groups. Substitution of MDF in recombined butter was suitable to produce butter with good characteristics and potentially healthier.