Obtaining target dietary fats in the technology of step-by-step hydrogenation and their use

Abstract

Introduction: Fats are an important component of a number of food products and affect their consistency, shelf life, taste, and nutritional qualities. Step-by-step hydrogenation is one of the main methods of modifying dietary fats, which allows for influencing their chemical structure and properties. The purpose of this study was to establish the main approaches to the step-by-step hydrogenation of dietary fats, the problems of the method, the main areas of use, and prospects for improving the technology. Material and Methods: A search to identify relevant papers was conducted for sources using open electronic databases, such as Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results and Discussion: During the study, the most common conditions of the hydrogenation reaction were established. The most important characteristics of the catalyst were determined by the activity, durability, selectivity, and stability of the formation of isomers. The formation of trans isomers of fatty acids, which reduces the quality of fat, has been identified as the main disadvantage of step-by-step hydrogenation. Factors contributing to the formation of trans isomers included high temperature, catalyst properties, and high content of unsaturated fatty acids in the feedstock. Step-by-step hydrogenation was identified to be the most characteristic of the soybean industry and for the production of confectionery and baking fats with specified properties. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate the potential of step-by-step hydrogenation to produce edible fats with a certain melting point and organoleptic characteristics after solving the cis/trans-isomerisation problem.