Interesterified Soybean Oil

Interesterification is one alternative to partially hydrogenated oils that can help reduce of eliminate trans fats while maintaining the taste, texture and flavor of manufactured foods. It is generally achieved by blending fully hydrogenated oils (saturated fats) with un-hydrogenated oils (unsaturated oils) to achieve specific melting profiles associated with various functional attributes . Because partial hydrogenation is not involved, trans fats are not created in the interesterification process.

Using either chemical or enzymatic catalysts, interesterification rearranges the fatty acids in soybean oil to allow the blended oil to function like the partially hydrogenated oils it replaces, but without the trans fats associated with the partial hydrogenation process.

Interesterified soybean oils are semi-solid at room temperature and work best in applications where a solid or semi-solid “fat” is used, such as in formulating margarines, spreads and shortenings, in confections and baked goods where they contribute to the texture, mouthfeel, structure and aeration of the end product.

Chemically Interesterified Soybean Oil
The most common chemical catalysts are sodium methylate (methoxide) or sodium ethylate (ethoxylate.) These substances randomly shift the positions of fatty acids along the fatty acid chains that make up triglycerides or fat molecules. The result is a more stable, creamy soybean oil with functional attributes similar to partially hydrogenated shortenings, but without the trans fats inherent in these partially hydrogenated oils.

Chemically interesterified soybean oil is available under various labels from Bunge, and Cargill produces specialty interesterified oils, primarily with coating functionalities.

For more information, visit www.cargill.com or www.bungefoods.com, or call Bill McCullough, Bunge (314-292-2797).

If you are interested in trying these interesterified oils, contact John Jansen, Bunge (314-292-2250, john.jansen@bunge.com) or, for a custom solution, Wyatt Elder, Cargill (specialty oils, 952-742-6692, wyatt_elder@cargill.com).

Enzymatic Interesterified Soybean Oil
Enzymatic catalysts generally allow for more precision and control than chemical catalysts in the interesterification process. Rather than acting in random fashion as the catalysts do in chemical interesterification, enzymatic catalysts target the fatty acids in specific positions along the triglyceride chain. The reaction is relatively slow and can be stopped at any given time to ensure the right degree of interesterification.

Bunge and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) both have lines of enzymatically interesterified soybean oils, Bunge under a number of labels, and ADM under its NovaLipid™ brand.

For more information, visit www.admworld.com or www.bungefoods.com or call Bill McCullough, Bunge (314-292-2797).

If you are interested in trying the oils, contact John Jansen, Bunge (314-292-2250, john.jansen@bunge.com) or Mike Rath, ADM (217-451-4006, m_rath@admworld.com)