INFORM September 2024

inform September 2024, Vol. 35 (8) • 33

desirable crystal structure in chocolate without the need for shear or complex temperature gradients. However, the mechanism of action of these phospholipids remains unknown. Herein, we deter mined the structure of self-assembled 1,2-dimyristoyl- sn -glyce ro-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) in chocolate and its fat phase, cocoa butter, to better understand its effects on the crystallization behav ior and polymorphism of cocoa butter. Small-angle neutron scat tering studies suggested that DMPC forms a variety of micelles in cocoa butter. A strong interaction between the DMPC micelles and the triglyceride palmitoyl-oleoyl-stearoyl glycerol (POS), the most abundant triglyceride in cocoa butter, which also directs the triclinic crystallization of the cocoa butter, was also observed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), interfacial tension measure ments, and attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infra red spectroscopy. This suggested that DMPC micelles serve as a seeding surface, templating form V crystal growth via its effects on POS. We propose a mechanism that involves a solid-state polymor phic transition form IV to V POS in the seeding crystals. Crystal strain and defects were observed in the templated nano- and micro structure observed by synchrotron microcomputed tomography and SAXS. These could affect the product’s properties, suggesting that a simple tempering step may still be required. A synchrotron X-ray scattering study of the crystallization behavior of mixtures of confectionary triacylglycerides: Effect of chemical composition and shear on polymorphism and kinetics Simone, E., et al. , Food Research International , 177, 113864, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2023.113864 Cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) are mixtures of triglycerides from multiple sources (e.g., sunflower oil, mango kernel and sal), which resemble cocoa butter (CB) in both physical and chemi cal properties. Despite being widely used to replace CB in choc olate products, the crystallization behavior of many CBEs is still poorly understood. The aim of this work was to develop a funda mental understanding, at the molecular level, of the crystalliza tion behavior of selected CBEs, and compare it with that of CB. Chromatography was used to determine the composition of CBEs, in terms of fatty acids and triacylglycerides (TAGs), while their thermodynamic behavior and crystallization kinetics were studied using polarized microscopy, differential calorimetry and three dif ferent synchrotron X-ray scattering setups. CBEs of different ori gin and chemical composition (e.g., different ratios of the main CB TAGs, namely POP, SOS and POS) crystallized in different poly morphs and with different kinetics of nucleation, growth and poly morphic transformation. SOS rich CBEs presented showed more polymorphs than CB and POP rich samples; whereas, CBEs with high concentration of POP showed slow kinetic of polymorphic transformation towards the stable β(3L) form. Additionally, it was observed that the presence of small amounts (<1% w/w) of specific TAGs, such as OOO, PPP or SSS, could significantly affect the crystallization behavior of CBEs and

CBs in terms of kinetics of polymorphic transformation and num ber of phases detected (multiple high melting β(2L) polymorphs were identified in all samples studied). Finally, it was found that, regardless of the CBE composition, the presence of shear could pro mote the formation of stable β polymorphs over metastable β’ and γ forms, and reduced the size of the crystal agglomerates formed due to increased secondary nucleation.

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Bryan Yeh has over 30+ years of senior leader experience in the agribusiness, biofuels, energy, food, management con sulting, renewable chemicals, synthetic biology, and water industries. He is based in Walnut Creek, California.

As the demand for lipid-based feedstock continues to be driven by the demand for renewable diesel, we are seeing an opportunity to grow non-traditional oilseeds to meet the oil demand. The challenge that we have is: What to do with the residual meal? A high-value opportunity is to find food applications that leverage this co-prod uct. The first article I have selected explores the use of camelina seed in crackers as a source of ALA to improve its bioavailability. The sec ond article comes from our journal Sustainable Food Proteins and describes a novel process to yield enhanced protein products from pennycress. The third article describes a palm shortening substitute comprising of rapeseed oil, linseed meal and beta-glucan.

An innovative functional cracker enriched in α-linolenic acid from Camelina oil ( Camelina sativa L.): Nutritional and bioaccessibility assessment

Ferron, L., et al. , Future Foods , 9, 100371, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fufo.2024.100371 Today growing interest to accomplish the authorities’ nutri tional and health claim is oriented towards vegetable-based α-lino lenic acid (ALA) enriched foods. The aim of this work was to develop a cracker (CKO) enriched with Camelina seed ( Camelina sativa L.) oil (CO), a well-known ALA and linoleic acid (LA) source. A fast HPLC-WVD method was set up and validated to quantify ALA and LA in CO and CKO. CKO was thought as bread alternatives that meets the health claim of European Commission regulation on cardiovascular well-being. Results indicated an ALA content in CO of 27.06 ± 1.65 g/100 g, with an ALA/LA ratio higher than two; differently, ALA con tent was of 2.10 ± 0.15 g/100 g in CKO, with lower ratio due to LA contribution of other ingredients. Cooking process did not affect PUFAs content in CO, confirming its stability when incor