Naiyawit Chalermnon

Citation

Thesis Title
Properties of oil-in-water emulsions and ice creams made from coconut milk

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Coconut milk is a natural oil-in-water emulsion extracted from the endosperm of fresh mature coconut fruit. Coconut milk is unstable, readily separating into two phases, cream and serum, after its extraction and also even after homogenisation. Mr Chalermnon investigated the properties of coconut milk emulsions stabilised by different fractions of coconut milk proteins.  The unstable nature of coconut oil emulsions in coconut milk was found to be due mainly to a type of coconut milk proteins, which is globulins (salt soluble), adsorbed on the surface of coconut oil droplets. Coconut oil emulsions stabilised with coconut albumins (water soluble protein) were more stable to creaming and phase separation. Coconut milk emulsions containing a mixture of coconut oil (solid) and sunflower oil (liquid) at different ratios, which were stabilised by two types of proteins (globulins and albumins), were also prepared and used in making ice creams to investigate their effects on the properties of coconut milk ice creams. Results show that there is a significant difference in the textural (firmness and viscosity) and melting properties of ice creams as well as the amount of air incorporated (overrun), depending on the types of proteins and oil blends used.    

Supervisors
Dr Sung Je Lee
Professor Richard Hartel
Dr Craig Davis
Professor Ray Winger
Professor Matt Golding
Professor Gil Hardy