Fats & Oils Consultant, Inc. 

Research & Development projects

Lipid oxidation and stability studies                                New product development  using fat modification Technology development for fat splitting, fatty acid, glycerine production, glycerine purification                    Technology for developing, biopolymer, biolubricants, from edible oils                                                       Engineering and construction of oleo-chemical,  biodiesel plants and edible oil refineries including          neutralization, bleaching, deodorization, and winterization units                                                          Economic analysis of projects and plans                     Market research and business development              Source for oleo-chemicals, biodiesel, emulsifiers and other ingredients used in emulsion based foods            Intellectual-property management and competitive-advantage strategies                                                            Client education (seminars, training, etc.)

R & D work at FOC is multidiciplinary in nature. with a focus on the TG molecule. Projects under active consideration:

1.Influence of relative humidity on the antioxidative potency of sitosterol in frying oils. Antioxidative ability of sitosterol has been reported to be influenced by the presence of atmospheric moisture at the air-oil interface. Given the ampiphilic nature of the sterol molecule, the -OH functionality in sterol can interact with the moisture present at the interface. Hence, a correlation between relative humidity  and the antioxidative potency of sitosterol may provide further insight into the mechanism governing the antioxidative ability of  ∆5 sterols.                                  Singh, A. (2013) Sitosterol as an antioxidant in frying oils Food Chemistry 137, 62–67.

2. Evaluation of the potential use of  ∆5 sterols as a biodegradable heat-stable antioxidant in industries using unsaturated fatty acids as precursors. Commercially available antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT) and tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), and those naturally present in edible oils such as tocopherol, have been reported to be heat-sensitive and volatile, hence, lack antioxidant activity at frying temperatures.

3. Frying oil quality assessment: using biosensors for quick and accurate quantification of polar content as a measure of  the extent of deterioration in frying oils. The level of polar content in frying oils is considered to be a good indicator of the extent of oxidative degradation. A polar content level of 25% is currently being used globally as the limit beyond which frying oil is considered unfit for human consumption. This level is easily reached after a frying duration of about 24 h and it is not uncommon to find oil samples with a level of polar content higher than 25%. Hence, having a rapid and convenient method to quantify polar content levels in frying oils would assist in quality control ensuring use of a healthier frying medium. 

4. Process development to isolate intact TG from used frying oils on an industrial scale, which can be used for the production of oleochemicals. With the non-food use of edible oils steadily increasing to ~ 25 %  of the global production of edible oils, it would be advisable to develop a  technology for recovering the unaltered TG molecules from used frying oils which can be used as precursors in the biodiesel, polymer and lubricant industries   

5. Devlopment of formulations for emulsion based products such as mayonnaise and salad dressings fortified with phytosterols. Enhanced levels of   phytosterols have been reported to be effective in reducing cholesterol absorption. Hence, increasing the aggregate amount of phytosterols consumed  may be an important way of reducing cholesterol levels and preventing coronary heart disease

Do get in touch  with us, should you be interested in collaborating or learning more about the commercialization potential of the projects