Enhancing the long-term stability of glyceryl monostearate-based oleogels by incorporating hydroxy monoglyceride as an additional scaffolding agent

Distilled glyceryl monostearate (GMS) have been acknowledged as a promising gelator; however, their long-term stability has been a significant concern, particularly due to the tendency of GMS to undergo crystal aggregation, leading to phase separation and reduced mechanical strength over time. This work investigated the potential of incorporating hydroxy monoglyceride stearate (OH-MG) as an additional scaffolding agent to enhance the stability of GMS oleogel. Various concentrations of OH-MG (10%-40%) were integrated into GMS oleogels, and their texture, microstructure, polymorphism, thermal properties and intermolecular forces were monitored over a 90-day storage period. The results showed that OH-MG promotes early-stage polymorphic transition and crystal aggregation in GMS, but still contributes positively to the long-term stability and mechanical properties of the oleogels. This is achieved through the formation of a branched complex crystal network and the stabilization of the gel structure via enhanced hydrogen bonding interactions. The sample with 40% OH-MG, exhibited the most significant improvement in stability and mechanical performance, with hardness increasing by 1.63 times over 90 days. This study highlights the effectiveness of OH-MG in improving the long-term stability of GMS-based oleogels and provides insights into the underlying mechanisms, including the role of hydrogen bonding and branched crystal network formation. • Hydroxy monoglyceride (OH-MG) enhances the stability of monostearin oleogels. • OH-MG promotes a branched composite network that strengthens the overall structure. • Oleogels with 40% OH-MG increased hardness by 1.63-fold over 90 days.