Sal Fat - Greenish Brown, 69% Symmetrical Triglycerides | Ideal Cocoa Butter Substitute, Low Epoxy And Dihydroxy Fatty Acid Glycerides

Sal fat is greenish brown. Sal Seed has a typical odour. Its fatty acid composition shows C16 (4%), C18 (47%), C18:1 (44%), C18:2 (0.5%) and C20(2.8%). These values are mean values of some samples. The presence of small amounts of the C20 acid, however does not affect the performance of the sal fat fractions as cocoa butter substitute. A recent study of the fatty acid composition revealed the presence of 9,10-epoxy stearic acid, and 9, 10-dihyroxy stearic acid. These are undesirable, because the glycerides containing these fatty acids viz., - GSEpS(9%) and GSEpU(3%) interfere in the sharp melting characteristics of the cocoa butter substitutes. Hence in the refined sal fat specification, 3.0% Max, is the limit set for the combined amount of the epoxy and dihydroxy acid glycerides.

A chromatographic process using cogelled silica alumina adsorbent has been described in a patent for removal of such interfering impurities from the sal fat. A two stage acetone fractionation process gives a sal mid-fraction (45% yield) that is suitable for use in preparing cocoa butter substitute.It can be concluded that Sal fat, largely free from oxidized fatty acid glycerides contains about 69 per cent symmetrical truglycerides, Fat like illipe, kokum, shea, contain substantial proportion of symmetrical triglycerides and hence are valued as confectionery fats. Sal can, therefore, be considered as a new entry to this category of fats.