Enzymatic Modification of High-Laurate Canola To Produce Margarine Fat Lydia B. Fomuso and Casimir C. Akoh* Department of Food Science and Technology, Food Science Building, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602-7610 Stearic acid was enzymatically transesterified with high-laurate canola using a nonspecific lipase from Candida antarctica to produce structured lipids (SL) suitable for margarine application. Stearic acid levels ranged from 10 to 40 wt % of high-laurate canola oil. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to evaluate melting characteristics of the transesterified products. A stearic acid level of 30% was found to best match the melting characteristics of fat extracted from commercially available stick margarine. This SL was used to prepare nonrefrigerated and refrigerated margarine samples. Refrigerated margarine was prepared using 60% SL and 40% canola oil, whereas 100% SL was used for the nonrefrigerated margarine. Slip melting point, solid fat content, and hardness index were determined for all samples. Application of a dynamic temperature step using a dynamic stress rheometer showed complete breakdown of the commercial stick margarine and the experimental refrigerated margarine at ∼30 °C and complete breakdown of the nonrefrigerated margarine at ∼35 °C. Addition of canola oil to the SL improved spreadability at refrigeration temperatures and reduced the hardening effect of lauric acid in the SL. The nonrefrigerated margarine was spreadable at room temperature and exhibited no oil exudation or phase separation. Keywords: Acidolysis; differential scanning calorimetry; high-laurate canola oil; margarine; rheology; solid fat content; structured lipid INTRODUCTION Margarine is a water-in-oil emulsion and by U.S. FDA standards of identity must contain at least 80% fat. The aqueous phase consists of water, salt, and preservatives. The fat phase consists of a blend of liquid and solid glycerides, antioxidants, and emulsifiers. In the United States, the solid fat content of margarine is traditionally increased by hydrogenation of liquid oils. Partial hy- drogenation isomerizes the double bonds in fats from the cis to the trans configuration (1). Several studies with conflicting results have been reported on the health effects of trans fatty acids; although these studies are still controversial, trans fatty acids are widely believed to be implicated in coronary heart disease (2-4). A trans-free alternative to the use of partial hydrogenation is the use of fully hydrogenated oil interesterified with an unsaturated oil (1). Interesterification of highly saturated fats with oils of low saturated fatty acids content is another method used to manufacture zero- trans margarine (5). Fats such as palm stearin and lauric oils have been used to produce zero-trans mar- garine (6-8). In the early years of wrapped margarine, it was common for lauric oils to be used in the fat blends at levels of up to 40% and higher (8). Margarine produced with these oils was harder than the soft margarines, now commonly produced, and was more similar to butter in that respect (8). Fluctuating market prices and limited supply in part led to the decreased use of lauric oils in margarine. With the advent of laurate canola, economic and supply concerns may be satisfied. High-laurate canola is a genetically engineered oil that was developed in part to provide a domestic source of oils currently being satisfied by various palm kernel oil fractions. To date, most of the food applica- tions of laurate canola have concentrated on the hydro- genated form of the transgenic oil (9), which introduces the controversial trans fatty acids problem. Acidolysis of laurate canola oil with stearic acid will increase its solid fat content without introducing trans fatty acids. The objective of this research was to synthesize structured lipids (SL) from high-laurate canola oil and stearic acid using a lipase, Novozym 435 from Candida antarctica, as the biocatalyst. The resulting SL was then used to prepare trans-free margarine. Physical proper- ties such as slip melting point, hardness index, solid fat content, and rheological properties of the experimental margarine were studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS Materials. Refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) Lau- rical canola oil was obtained from Protein Oil Starch Pilot Plant Corp. (Saskatoon, Canada). Ninety-five percent pure stearic acid was purchased from Aldrich Chemical Co. (Mil- waukee, WI). Immobilized lipase, Novozym 435 from C. antarctica, was purchased from Novo Nordisk Biochem North America, Inc. (Franklinton, NC). Lecithin was donated by Riceland Foods, Inc. (Stuttgart, AR). Tenox tertiary butyl- hydroquinone (TBHQ) was purchased from Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, TN). Organic solvents were purchased from J. T. Baker Chemical Co. (Phillipsburg, NJ) or Fisher Scientific (Norcross, GA). Acidolysis Reaction. SL synthesis was performed in 125- mL Erlenmeyer flasks in an orbital shaking water bath at 200 * Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Food Science and Technology, Food Science Building, Room 211, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7610 [telephone (706) 542-1067; fax (706) 542-1050; e-mail cmscakoh@arches.uga.edu]. 4482 J. Agric. Food Chem. 2001, 49, 4482-4487 10.1021/jf010444u CCC: $20.00 © 2001 American Chemical Society Published on Web 08/22/2001