Mutton and walnut in a moisturiser… Interesterified fats suitable as emulsions
In the cosmetic industry, emulsions are used as easily spreadable creams with encapsulated ingredients in both water and oil phases, and a research team based in Poland studied the application of interesterified fats, normally used in the food industry, as the fatty base in cosmetic emulsions.
“In summary, the work has demonstrated the possibility of applying interesterified fats as the fatty base in cosmetic emulsions,” say the study authors.
“Emulsions formed on the basis of interesterified fats without any additional emulsifiers (sunflower lecithin) had properties comparable to emulsions containing mixed non-interesterified fat.”
The team also pointed out that the emulsions based on interesterified fats exhibited an even greater level of moisturisation of the skin than those containing non-interesterified fat.
“The natural emulsifiers formed as part of interesterification allowed us to obtain stable emulsion systems while giving the respondents the satisfaction of a new product not yet available on the market,” they add.
Study
On the basis of previously conducted studies on chemical and enzymatic interesterification of fats such as beef tallow and fractions of vegetable oils, the research says that it is known that fats with a unique structure can be obtained by interesterification.
In order to assess these new formulations, the new fats were formed via enzymatic modification, and then those fats were put into emulsions as a fat base of the emulsions.
The emulsions were evaluated with respect to sensory and skin moisturising properties by 83 respondents.
Determination of emulsion stability using temperature and centrifugal tests was carried out, and morphology and the type of emulsions were also determined.
Respondents characterized emulsions as easy to scoop, not flowing or pouring around the skin. In general, all the emulsions were absorbed well and fast, with 90% of respondents saying skin to which the emulsion had been applied was ‘smooth and pleasant to touch.’
“The work has demonstrated that interesterification of a mutton tallow and walnut oil blend resulted in new fats with very interesting characteristics of triacylglycerols that are not present in the environment,” explains the study.
“The results of the present work indicate the possibility of application of fats with the largest quantity of monoacylglycerols and diacylglycerols as a fat base of emulsions in the cosmetic industries.”
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