Koviöljysekoitus

Koviöljysekoitus, often translated as hardened oil mixture or solid oil blend, refers to a type of edible fat produced by combining liquid vegetable oils with solid fats. This process, typically hydrogenation or interesterification, alters the physical properties of the oils, making them semi-solid or solid at room temperature. The goal is to achieve a desired texture and consistency for various food applications, such as baking, frying, and spreads.

Hydrogenation involves treating liquid vegetable oils with hydrogen gas in the presence of a catalyst. This process saturates some of the double bonds in the fatty acid chains, increasing the melting point and stability of the oil. However, partial hydrogenation can create trans fats, which are now recognized as detrimental to cardiovascular health. Interesterification is an alternative process that rearranges the fatty acids on the glycerol backbone of the fat molecules, achieving similar textural properties without producing trans fats.

Koviöljysekoitus is widely used in the food industry to improve the texture, mouthfeel, and shelf life of products. It can be found in margarines, shortenings, baked goods like cookies and pastries, and processed snacks. The specific type of oil blend and processing method influences its nutritional profile and functional characteristics. Due to concerns about trans fats, the food industry has increasingly shifted towards interesterified or fully hydrogenated oil blends to create solid fat products.