Physical properties of milk fat: II. Some factors influencing crystallization

Abstract

Summary: The crystal habit of milk fat is determined by the cooling procedure employed and is changed markedly by interesterification (randomization) of the fat. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that slowly cooled milk fat occurs in both beta prime and beta modifications, whereas in rapidly cooled milk fat, evidence for the beta prime modification only was obtained. The long spacing was greatly increased by interesterification, especially when the fat was slowly cooled. The presence or absence of certain high melting glyceride fractions greatly influenced solid fat content, softening point and hardness of milk fat.