Effects of Fat Composition and Crystallization Characteristics on the Quality and Whipping Performance of Cream

In order to establish the internal relationship between the composition and crystallization characteristics of fat and the product quality and whipping properties, the fat composition and crystallization characteristics, emulsion quality, whipped product quality and whipping properties of dairy, non-dairy and mixed creams were analyzed in this study. The results showed that the crystal network formed by mixed animal and vegetable fats had a dense structure and high susceptibility to shear-induced partial aggregation, the resulting emulsion had high viscosity and low overrun, while the whipped product had high hardness and moderate conformal capacity. However, the crystallization properties of vegetable fat were opposite to those of mixed animal and vegetable fats, and the susceptibility to shear-induced partial aggregation was low. The vegetable cream emulsion had low viscosity and high overrun, whereas the whipped product has low hardness and the best conformal capacity. Animal fat had the lowest solid fat content, resulting in the weakest crystal network structure; the rate of partial aggregation, viscosity and overrun of the resulting emulsion were the lowest, and the whipped product had the lowest hardness and conformal capacity. Therefore, the product quality and whipping performance can be controlled by regulating the fat composition and crystallization characteristics. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the development of high-quality whipped cream.