Fat crystallization in suspensions: the effect of particle hydrophobicity and dispersing agent

Crystallization of lipids is important for the functionality and sensory properties of fat-containing food products. Such products are often dispersions, in which particles are stabilized by a dispersing agent. In this project, the effect of particle hydrophobicity and the dispersing agent on fat crystallization will be investigated at different length scales. WAXS and SAXS have traditionally been used to study the nano-scale polymorphism during fat crystallization. The polymorphs further arrange into crystal nanoplatelets (CNPs), which are the building blocks of the fat crystal network. SAXS analysis enables to quantify the average CNP thickness and the thickness distribution. More recently, on the meso-scale, USAXS is used to estimate size, shape and aggregation of CNPs. The presence of non-lipid ingredients in dispersions induces additional interactions and alterations in the fat crystallization process, resulting in an increased complexity.