Development of emulsion gels as animal fat analogs: The impact of soybean and coconut oil concentration on rheological and microstructural properties

This study investigates the effect of oil type and concentration on the rheological and microstructural properties of plant-based emulsion gels, comparing them to animal fat tissue. Emulsion gels were formulated with soybean or coconut oil, isolated soy protein, agar, and alginic acid at varying oil concentrations (0-30 %). The structural integrity of animal fat is attributed to a fibrous network of adipocytes and collagen. In contrast, oil concentration significantly affected the gel network density, with coconut oil-based gels maintaining stable viscoelasticity, while soybean oil-based gels exhibited more fluid-like behavior. The thermal behavior of the gels was significantly influenced by the fatty acid composition of the oils, with a distinct endothermic peak observed around 20 °C for coconut oil-based gels, while no peak appeared for soybean oil-based gels. These findings highlight the potential to optimize plant-based fat analogs by controlling oil type and concentration to replicate animal fats in plant-based food products.