Much of the work in the area of physical properties of fats is aimed at determining the relationship among triglyceride structure, crystal properties, crystallization conditions, and macroscopic properties of fats. In finished product containing fat, some of these many macroscopic properties include spredability of margarine, butter and spreads; snap of chocolate; blooming of chocolate; and graininess, smoothness, mouthfeel, water binding, and emulsion stability of spreads [1]. Plastic fats consist of a crystal network in a continuous oil matrix. Many articles in the past have been focused on establishing relationships between lipid composition or polymorphism and macroscopic properties of fats without much consideration of the microstructure of the fat crystal network. Germane to a thorough understanding of plastic fat rheology is a characterization of its microstructure. Not including microstructure as a variable will lead to failure in the prediction of macroscopic properties. In many other non fat or low fat products macroscopic properties depend on their structural organization. Emulsion stability, which is one of the most important physical properties of multiple-phase systems, is strongly determined by oil droplet size and interactions among components that determine spatial distribution of lipid and aqueous phases. Thus, control of food properties for various applications requires a better understanding of the relationships between the food microstructure and macroscopic properties.

Fil: Huck Iriart, Cristián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química, Física de los Materiales, Medioambiente y Energía; Argentina

Fil: Rincón Cardona, Jaime A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnología; Argentina

Fil: Herrera, Maria Lidia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina