Determination of Metastable Zone Width and Nucleation Induction Period of Palm Oil and Its Olein/Stearin in Melting Layer Crystallization

Measurement methods of metastable zone width (MZW) and nucleation induction time for melting layer crystallization of palm oil (PO) and its olein/stearin (POL/PST) were established, and the effects of cooling rate (corresponding to various supercoolings) on MZWs and induction time for melting layer crystallization of PO, POL, and PST were determined. The results indicated that the MZW coherently rose with increasing cooling rates with respect to PO and POL, while it declined with higher cooling rates for PST. The induction period results demonstrated that the nucleation induction periods of PO, PST, and POL decreased with increasing supercoolings, and the lag time for nucleation negatively correlated to the melting point of oils at the same supercooling. These data could offer significant instruction in designing and controlling the melting layer crystallization process for palm oil.