The effect of shear on crystallization in suspensions

Technological functionality and sensory properties fat-containing food products often depends on the crystallization of the lipids present. Such food products are often suspensions, meaning they contain a dispersed particle phase in a continuous fat matrix. Most often, the dispersed phase is stabilized by a dispersing agent. Both dispersed phase and dispersing agent can influence fat crystallization. In this proposal, the effect of shear on fat crystallization in model suspensions will be investigated. The effect of different shear rates is expected to take place at different length scales (nano- to meso-scale) and thus to be visual both in SAXS and USAXS. Model systems comprising fat, food-grade particles and a dispersing agent will be studied. SAXS will allow to study the fat’s chain length arrangement and crystal nanoplatelet thickness (CNP), while USAXS provides an estimate of the CNP size and the aggregation thereof.