The structure and functionality of fat-based food systems are governed by the formation, stability, and dynamic reorganisation of fat crystal networks. Understanding how these networks evolve over time is essential for controlling key quality attributes such as texture, firmness, and oil binding in dairy-blends based fat systems.
In this project, controlled temperature cycling is used as a tool to accelerate structural evolution in model blends of anhydrous milk fat and selected vegetable oils/fats. By repeatedly cycling between defined temperature intervals, partial melting and re-crystallisation are induced, promoting network rearrangements that would normally develop only during prolonged storage. This accelerated approach allows structural changes to be studied within experimentally accessible timeframes.
The project explores how different temperature cycling strategies influence crystal morphology, network connectivity, and macroscopic material properties such as hardness/firmness and oil-binding capacity. Well-defined model systems will be subjected to designed temperature programmes, and their thermal, structural, and rheological responses will be characterised using a combination of techniques, including differential scanning calorimetry, low-resolution NMR, polarised light and confocal microscopy, and rheological analysis.
The project is part of an ongoing PhD study and offers flexibility in scope and focus. Depending on the student’s interests, the work may focus on identifying key structural responses to temperature cycling or on comparing accelerated structural evolution with changes observed under isothermal conditions. The project provides hands-on experience with advanced characterisation techniques and offers insight into structure–property relationships in complex fat systems.
The project is aligned to UN's SGD:
