GB879211A - Improvements in or relating to glyceride esters - Google Patents

Abstract

Cocoa butter substitute in the form of a eutectic random esterified mixture of triglycerides is obtained by reacting glycerol with a mixture of fatty acids consisting of 85 to 100% by weight of lauric and myristic acid, present in proportions between 2.3 to 1 and 4 to 1, at elevated temperature, e.g. 160 to 250 DEG C. and in stoichemical proportions, any other fatty acids present being only those with 8, 10, 16, or 18 carbon atoms. In a modification, a mixture of triglycerides of the fatty acids above, is interesterified at a temperature above the complete melting point of the mixture, in the presence of a catalyst, e.g. sodium methoxide at up to 160 DEG C. and potassium hydroxide at 220 DEG C. A preferred mixture of fatty acids is one with at least 90% of lauric and myristic acid in the mixture, with a ratio of lauric to myristic acid of 3:1, and catalysts such as sodium hydroxide or zinc chloride are used for the esterification. Examples describe the esterification of a mixture of 3 parts lauric and 1 part myristic acids with glycerol at a temperature increasing from 180 to 230 DEG C. under reduced pressure to yield a fat of M.P. 33.7 DEG C.; and the heating of a mixture of 3 parts trilaurin and 1 part trimyristin, dry and free from fatty acids at 90 DEG C. or 160 DEG C. with sodium methoxide or at 220 DEG C. with potassium hydroxide to yield a product which is purified to yield a neutral hard fat, M.P. 33.5 DEG C., containing glycerides of trilaurin, dilaurin myristin laurodimyristin and trimyristin.ALSO:Cocoa butter substitute in the form of a eutectic random esterified mixture of triglycerides is obtained by interesterification of a mixture of triglycerides of fatty acids consisting of 85 to 100% lauric and myristic acids, the ratio of the lauric to myristic acid being within the range 2.3 to 1 and 4 to 1, any other fatty acid radicals present comprising only those of acids having 8, 10, 16 or 18 carbon atoms in the acid molecule. The temperature of interesterification is above the complete melting point of the mixture and a catalyst e.g. sodium methoxide or potassium hydroxide is present. In examples, 3 parts of trilaurin and 1 part of trimyristin are heated under nitrogen at up to 90 DEG C. or up to 160 DEG C. with sodium methoxide, or up to 220 DEG C. with potassium hydroxide, to yield after removal of impurities, a neutral hard fat of M.P. 33.5 DEG C. containing the glycerides trilaurin, dilaurinmyristin, lauro - dimyristin and trimyristin in random proportions.