Effect of solubilised carbon dioxide at low partial pressure on crystallisation behaviour, microstructure and texture of anhydrous milk fat

Abstract

The crystallisation and melting behaviour, fat polymorphs, microstructure and texture of anhydrous milk fat (AMF) was investigated in the presence of dissolved CO2 (0–2000 ppm) under two crystallising conditions (non-isothermal versus isothermal). CO2 was found to induce higher onset crystallisation temperature during cooling from 35 to 5 °C at 0.5 °C min− 1. X-ray scattering analysis showed that, in the presence of dissolved CO2 this rapid crystallisation caused the formation of unstable, α polymorph fat crystals. For milk fat crystallised under isothermal condition at 25 °C for 48 h, dissolved CO2 improved solid fat content, slightly depressed melting temperature and exhibited a sharper me..