Fully Hydrogenated Palm Stearin

About This Product

Fully hydrogenated palm stearin is the stearin fraction of palm oil hydrogenated to completion, a hard, high-melting triglyceride hardstock with a fatty acid distribution of 55-62% C16 and 33-45% C18 and a melting point of 57C. It is supplied as flakes or beads at 0.2% maximum moisture, acid value 1.0 maximum, saponification value 195-205 mg KOH/g and colour 2.5R Y20 on the Lovibond 5.25 inch scale, in 25 kg bags or jumbo bags. Full hydrogenation and partial hydrogenation are often spoken of together and should not be. Hydrogen adds across the carbon-carbon double bonds of the unsaturated chains at a catalyst surface, and partial hydrogenation stops the reaction short: double bonds are left behind, and the same catalyst that adds hydrogen also isomerises those survivors from cis to trans, which is what generates trans fatty acids. Taking the reaction to completion, to an iodine value of 0.5 maximum, leaves essentially no double bonds at all, and therefore no trans fat to form. That is why fully hydrogenated hardstocks became the standard route to structuring a fat blend after partially hydrogenated oils were restricted. In a blend the fully saturated triglycerides crystallise first and build the network that carries the solid phase, so, used in interesterification or straight blending, this stearin raises solid fat content and steepens the melting curve. Interesterification goes further than blending, redistributing the fatty acids across the glycerol backbones of the whole charge and replacing two separate melting populations with one new set of triglycerides. It is used as a hardstock for fat blends, as an interesterification feedstock, in solid fat content adjustment and in bakery and confectionery fats. Bio Green Oils and Fats supplies fully hydrogenated palm stearin to specification on iodine value, melting point, acid value, saponification value, fatty acid distribution, moisture, colour and packaging.