Creating High Fat Emulsions with Mango, Rapeseed Oil and Soy Lecithin

Abstract: Food inevitably plays a vital role in our lives and is of great importance to our health and wellbeing. With increasing age, it is equally important to achieve adequate nutrition to prevent and alleviate age-related diseases. One problem is that far too many older adults find it difficult to eat enough nutritious food which in the long term may lead to malnutrition. With an increasing life expectancy the older population is growing and the problem with malnutrition is of great concern. Malnutrition can be caused by many different factors which make it difficult to find a single unique solution to the problem. Oral nutritional supplementation is one approach which has proved to be useful for improving the nutritional intake. This paper examines the possibility of creating high fat fruit emulsion with mango puré, rapeseed oil and lecithin, using simple blending equipment.  The puré-like products were evaluated for emulsion stability by a storage test, oil droplet size by a light microscope and light scattering device, viscosity by a viscometer, sensory properties by Flavoring profiling. Furthermore the nutritional values were calculated.  Successful emulsions were created using up to 50 g/100g rapeseed oil with adequate emulsion stability without lecithin. The energy content of the highest fat emulsion was 475kcal/100g. The quantities of lecithin used in these products reduced the oil droplet size but lowered the emulsion stability perhaps by depleting the stabilizing effect of mango originated particles. The lecithin made the product more viscous, also the oily and creamy/Rich mouth-feel were perceived higher with increasing lecithin. In these products and with the quantities used the lecithin was redundant. Further development of similar products but with addition of protein and perhaps sugar, to enhance flavor, should be of high interest.