Candelilla and Rice Bran Wax as Oleogelators in Soybean Oil for Deep Frying Application

International health association such as American Heart Association (AHA), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend limiting saturated fat (SAFA) intake in daily diet due to the health concerns that they are linked to. However, SAFA can provide frying stability and provide crispy texture to the fried food. In this study, soybean oil which is known to have low SAFA was structured using 5% natural waxes: Candelilla wax (CNW) and Rice Bran wax (RBW) via oleogelation techniques. Oleogels can be defined as a structured liquid vegetable oil entrapped within a three-dimensional, thermo-reversible gelation network. Upon preparing the oleogels, the oleogels were subjected to frying application to determine its frying performances. Results show that the addition of waxes can help to control the increment of free fatty acids, total oxidation value and total polar compounds in the oil. Addition of waxes also show reduced oil absorption in food upon frying. However, the color changes of the wax added frying oils are much faster throughout the frying process. Therefore, natural waxes such as RBW and CNW have promising potential to be used in solidifying soybean oil for frying application.