PHYS-013: The Ternary Phase behavior of PLP, PLS and SLS

In this study, we investigated the crystallization behavior and interactions between minor triacylglycerols present in cocoa butter. Specifically, we focused on 1,3- dipalmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-glycerol (PLP), 2-linoleoyl-1-palmitoyl-3-stearoyl-rac-glycerol (PLS), and 1,3-distearoyl-2-linoleoyl-glycerol (SLS) ternary mixtures, which mimic the composition of the main triacylglycerols with the substitution of oleic acid by linoleic acid. Pure components (99 %) were synthesized and mixed in various ratios to create 27 mixtures. Through X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, we examined the phase behavior of these mixtures during rapid cooling and heating. Our results revealed the melting temperatures and mutual interactions of sub-α and γ polymorphic forms of triacylglycerols. No other polymorphic modifications were observed under the experimental conditions. Additionally, we proposed a phase diagram for the ternary mixture, which can be valuable for modeling fat structuring systems in food and cosmetic applications. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the crystallization behavior of fats.