Fat and fatty acids in cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is the byproduct of cocoa bean processing industry and is obtained from the mature bean from the Theobroma cacao plant. Cocoa butter is obtained by pressing of mature cocoa beans.

Cocoa butter is a highly valued ingredient primarily used in the confectionery industry. It is responsible for the melting properties of chocolate, consisting predominantly of fatty acids such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid, but low amounts of lauric acid and myristic acid.

Palmitic acid, stearic and oleic acid account on average for respectively 26%, 36% and 34% of the total fatty acid composition.

Fatty acid profiles are categorized into saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Palmitic, stearic, lauric and myristic acid are considered saturated fatty acids, oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid while linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid.

It is a pale-yellow liquid with a characteristic odor and the flavor of chocolate. It is an important and the only continuous fat phase found in chocolate, which help in the dispersion of the other ingredients also.

Typically, 100 g of beans produce 40 g of cocoa butter, 40 g of cocoa powder (the residue after extraction which contains 10 – 24% fat) and 20 g of waste material.

Cocoa butter contains a high proportion of saturated fat, derived from starch and palmitic acid and contains trace amounts of caffeine and theobromine. It also contains fat soluble antioxidants such as vitamin E in the form of β-tocopherol, α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol helps in its storage by increasing its therapeutic properties.
Fat and fatty acids in cocoa butter

Milk fat component in ice cream

The main ingredients provide the required sensory properties: ice gives cooling, fat provides creaminess, air gives lightness and softness, sugar provides sweetness and flavors enhance its taste.

Milk fat or butterfat, as it is sometimes called, is the most important component of ice cream. It is also the most expensive major ingredient of ice cream, and so the higher the fat content, generally the more expensive the product.

Milk fat gives ice cream a rich and creamy flavor. Fat also contributes to producing a smooth texture and greater resistance to melting.

The fat also is a concentrated source of calories and contributes heavily to the energy value of ice cream.

A milk fat content between 14% and 22% is ideal for producing a rich tasting, full bodied ice cream. According to US standards, ice cream must contain at least 10% milk fat, before the addition of bulky ingredients and must weigh a minimum of 4.5 pounds to the gallon. Ice cream made with less than 14% milk fat is weak-bodied coarse and icy.

Decreasing the fat content of ice cream decreases the creamy sensation and increases the intensities of flavors of skim milk powder and of corn syrup.

It also impacts on added flavors, since there are many flavor components that are fat soluble, which are released to the olfactory senses as fat melts.
Milk fat component in ice cream

Basic properties of Fats and Oils

Basic properties of Fats and Oils
Fats and oils are lipids and are important in designing a well-balanced meal plan. The effect of heat on fats and oils is of great importance to culinary science and again can be explained if the properties and chemistry of fats are understood. Included are melting points, smoke points, deterioration, and use as a cooking medium. Most fats do not have sharply defined melting points but they soften over a range of 10 degree to 20 degree F. The reason is the presence of a number of different triglycerides in a given fat. As the temperature rises, different ones melt. The length and degree of unsaturation in the fatty acid components greatly determine the melting point. It is this response of fats to temperature that facilitates the spreading of melting butter on toast and basting with melting fats.

Fats and oils have much higher boiling than does water because of their large molecular size. Fats are nonpolar so they do not form hydrogen bonds. They do, however, form weaker bonds all along their large molecule. It takes relatively high temperature to break all of them and convert the liquid to a gas. The smoke point is defined as the point when visible gaseous products are produced from fat breakdown. This point seems to depend on the initial amount of free fatty aids in the oil or fat. The amount of free fatty acids is generally much lower in vegetable oil or than animal fats. Other material in fats, such as carbohydrates, proteins and emulsifiers, will lower the smoke points. As the fat or oil is used, the smoke pointy lowers due to breakdown of the fats and the build up of other materials. Caution must be taken when smoke appears because it is a warning that the ignition point is nearing.

Other factors that can deteriorate fats and oils are absorption of odors and rancidity. When using fats and oils as a cooking medium, smoke point, absorbed odors, and rancidity all must be observed closely or one risks a fire or the transmission of off flavors and odors to the foods. Foods are cooked in fats by sautéing and deep-fat frying. Liquid fats and oils are better heat conductors than air, and foods heated in fats are not only cooked but also browned due to caramelization and the sugar protein reaction. Texture is important as these fried foods must be crisp.
Basic properties of Fats and Oils