(Press-News.org) Contact information: Ellis Simon
esimon@ccny.cuny.edu
212-650-6460
City College of New York
CCNY chemists use sugar-based gelators to solidify vegetable oils
Mannitol and sorbitol dioctanoates could provide alternatives to trans fats linked to obesity, coronary artery disease and diabetes
Researchers at The City College of New York have reported the successful transformation of vegetable oils to a semisolid form using low-calorie sugars as a structuring agent. The findings portend the development of alternatives to structured oil products produced using saturated/trans fatty acids, which have been linked to coronary artery disease, obesity and diabetes.
The team, led by City College Professor of Chemistry George John, tested two sugar alcohol-based gelators, mannitol dioctanoate (M8) and sorbitol dioctanoate (S8), as structuring agents for four refined vegetable oils purchased at local grocery stores: canola oil, olive oil, soybean oil and grape seed oil. Both are amphiphiles – i.e. molecules that are attracted to water and fats – consisting of two octanoic acid chains (C8) appended to a sugar alcohol molecule.
Oils are transformed to semisolid forms known as structured oils. The best known of these are vegetable oil and margarine. Structured oils are also contained in candy and cake frosting.
"We have demonstrated the first sugar-based thickening agents for oil," said Professor John, whose previous investigations into the use of amphiphiles to solidify oil in the presence of water demonstrated their potential use in oil spill cleanups. He added that the two agents meet both Food & Drug Administration and GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) safety specifications, so they can be used for food processing.
Both M8 and S8 demonstrated excellent gelation tendencies for all of the oils that were tested, and the gels remained stable for several months. When mixed with the oils, the gelation agents self-assembled into three-dimensional crystalline networks that encapsulated the oils in liquid stage. Optimal gelation was achieved at structuring agent concentrations between three percent and five percent.
However, some differences between the two agents were reported. For example, mannitol gels were opaque in appearance while those made with sorbitol were translucent. That was because M8 yields a more densely packed network while the network of S8 gels consisted of needle-like microcrystallites.
Mannitol was found to be a more efficient gelator, producing stronger gels. However, Professor John pointed out that sorbitol-based gels, which have finer structures and appear more translucent, would be better suited for specific applications. "The multi-functionality and tunability of sugar-based gelators presents opportunities to develop next-generation oil thickeners," he added.
The findings were reported in the November 15 issue of the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry (J. Agric. Food Chem. 2013, DOI: 10.1021/jf401987a). In addition to Professor John, the team consisted of Swapnil R. Jadhav and Hyeondo Hwang from City College and Qingrong Huang from Rutgers University.
INFORMATION:
About The City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided low-cost, high-quality education for New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. More than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in: the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture; the School of Education; the Grove School of Engineering; the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, and the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. U.S. News, Princeton Review and Forbes all rank City College among the best colleges and universities in the United States. For additional information, please visit http://www.ccny.cuny.edu.
CCNY chemists use sugar-based gelators to solidify vegetable oils
Mannitol and sorbitol dioctanoates could provide alternatives to trans fats linked to obesity, coronary artery disease and diabetes
2013-12-20
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Oh, the places you'll go -- if you're an Atlantic slipper shell
2013-12-20
Oh, the places you'll go -- if you're an Atlantic slipper shell
New research reveals the biomechanics of how marine snails swim
Walk the beach or peer into a tidepool anywhere along the northeastern U.S. coast, and you'll find shells stacked on top of one another. ...
Saving fertility not priority at most cancer centers
2013-12-20
Saving fertility not priority at most cancer centers
Lack of policies to protect cancer patients' fertility at top cancer centers
CHICAGO --- Infertility is consistently listed as one of the most distressing long-term side effects of cancer treatment for adolescents ...
Ancient cranial surgery
2013-12-20
Ancient cranial surgery
UCSB bioarchaeologist studies trepanation -- a practice of drilling holes in the cranium that dates back thousands of years
Cranial surgery is tricky business, even under 21st-century conditions (think aseptic environment, ...
Dual catalysts help synthesize alpha-olefins into new organic compounds
2013-12-20
Dual catalysts help synthesize alpha-olefins into new organic compounds
Boston College researchers combine two catalytic reactions to produce highly reactive compounds
CHESTNUT HILL, MA (Dec. 19, 2013) – Boston College chemists have developed a new chemical synthesis methodology ...
A micro-muscular breakthrough
2013-12-20
A micro-muscular breakthrough
Berkeley Lab researchers make a powerful new microscale torsional muscle/motor from vanadium dioxide
Vanadium dioxide is poised to join the pantheon of superstars in the materials world. Already prized for its extraordinary ...
Inside the Bloomberg public health toolbox
2013-12-20
Inside the Bloomberg public health toolbox
Health policy insiders reveal details of the data-driven process behind the city's public health successes; approach can be a model for other cities nationwide
December 19, 2013 —As Mayor ...
Women's perceptions of 'normal' female genitalia may be influenced by exposure to modified images
2013-12-20
Women's perceptions of 'normal' female genitalia may be influenced by exposure to modified images
Women's perceptions of what is considered normal and desirable female genitalia may be influenced by exposure to modified images, suggests a new study published today (20 December) ...
First plant-based 'microswimmers' could propel drugs to the right location
2013-12-19
First plant-based 'microswimmers' could propel drugs to the right location
In the quest to shrink motors so they can maneuver in tiny spaces like inside and between human cells, scientists have taken inspiration from millions of years of plant evolution and ...
UCLA researcher highlights advances in nanotechnology's fight against cancer
2013-12-19
UCLA researcher highlights advances in nanotechnology's fight against cancer
As cancer maintains its standing as the second leading cause of death in the U.S., researchers have continued their quest for safer and more effective treatments. ...
Ways of the photoelectric effect; How physicists have learned how to select them
2013-12-19
Ways of the photoelectric effect; How physicists have learned how to select them
This work was recently published in Physical Review Letters.
In contrast to its apparent simplicity (that brought Einstein his Nobel Prize), the photoelectric effect, when an ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained
Less intensive works best for agricultural soil
Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation
Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests
Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome
UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership
New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025
Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025
AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials
New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age
Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker
Chips off the old block
Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia
Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry
Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19
Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity
State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections
Young adults drive historic decline in smoking
NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research
Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development
This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack
FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects
A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions
AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate
Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative
Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine
[Press-News.org] CCNY chemists use sugar-based gelators to solidify vegetable oilsMannitol and sorbitol dioctanoates could provide alternatives to trans fats linked to obesity, coronary artery disease and diabetes