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Oils and Fats: Structure and Stability
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Oils and Fats: Structure and Stability

A Special Issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158) belonging to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 4923

Editor

Dr. Caihua Jia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
Interests: lipid molecular structure and function; oil processing and quality control

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oils and fats are fundamental components of both the human diet and industrial applications, contributing to nutrition, texture, flavor, and functionality in various food products. Understanding the structure and stability of oils and fats is crucial for enhancing their quality and performance, both in food processing and storage. The physical and chemical properties of lipids, including their crystallization behavior, oxidative stability, and susceptibility to degradation, are influenced by factors such as molecular composition, processing conditions, and environmental interactions. This Special Issue seeks to explore the latest advancements in the characterization, modification, and stabilization of oils and fats, focusing on novel methodologies and innovative strategies to improve their structure and shelf-life. Research on the impact of these factors on food quality, safety, and health implications will also be highlighted.

Dr. Caihua Jia
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • oils and fats
  • lipid structure
  • oxidative stability
  • crystallization behavior
  • food quality
  • fat modification
  • shelf-life
  • lipid degradation
  • food processing
  • health implications

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3484 KB  
Article
Comparative Characterization of Lipid Composition and Minor Components in Coffee Oils from Arabica and Robusta Spent Coffee Grounds
by Wei Zeng, Song Liao, Cheng Zhen, Meijun Du, Jun Jin and Bin Hu
Foods 2026, 15(12), 2129; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15122129 - 12 Jun 2026
Viewed by 704
Abstract
Coffee oil, an increasingly recognized yet underutilized byproduct of spent coffee grounds, has attracted attention due to its diverse lipid composition and minor components. This study systematically investigated the lipid characteristics of coffee oils extracted from both Arabica and Robusta spent coffee grounds [...] Read more.
Coffee oil, an increasingly recognized yet underutilized byproduct of spent coffee grounds, has attracted attention due to its diverse lipid composition and minor components. This study systematically investigated the lipid characteristics of coffee oils extracted from both Arabica and Robusta spent coffee grounds subjected to varying roasting degrees. Comprehensive analyses were conducted, mainly regarding oil yield, acid and peroxide values, fatty acid profiles, sn-2 positional fatty acid distribution, triacylglycerol composition, tocopherol content and total Folin-reactive compounds, as well as squalene and sterol profiles. The selected Arabica samples generally showed higher oil yields than Robusta samples, with oil contents ranging from 12.13% to 15.14% and 10.10% to 13.01%, respectively. Arabica coffee oils showed relatively high total tocopherol levels, ranging from 930.35 to 1495.37 mg/kg, whereas Robusta coffee oils ranged from 637.69 to 867.21 mg/kg. Total Folin-reactive compounds varied among samples and should be interpreted as composition-related indicators rather than direct evidence of antioxidant function. In contrast, Robusta coffee oils contained much higher levels of squalene and total sterols, ranging from 97.00 to 170.37 mg/100 g and 787.29 to 1007.92 mg/100 g, respectively. Chemometric analyses showed distinct grouping patterns among the selected coffee oil samples. In the present sample set, the overall lipid profiles were more closely associated with the Arabica and Robusta sample groups than with the assigned roasting levels. These results provide compositional information for the potential use of Arabica coffee oil as a tocopherol- and Folin-reactive compound-rich lipid ingredient. Robusta coffee oil may be further evaluated for applications requiring higher levels of squalene, phytosterols, and relatively saturated lipid structures. This study provides novel insights into the compositional complexity of coffee oil and supports its targeted valorization across various industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oils and Fats: Structure and Stability)
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14 pages, 1436 KB  
Article
Secoisolariciresinol Diglucoside with Antioxidant Capacity from Flaxseed: A Study on Microwave-Assisted Germination Optimization
by Jinling Hu, Qingyi Zhang, Yaning Li, Qiqi Zhang, Caihua Jia, Fenghong Huang, Qianchun Deng and Cuie Tang
Foods 2025, 14(15), 2716; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14152716 - 1 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2020
Abstract
Germination and physical field treatments are processing techniques that have been successfully used to change the amount of active ingredients in flaxseed. However, it is unknown if they work synergistically. This study investigated the effect of microwave-assisted germination on the lignan concentration and [...] Read more.
Germination and physical field treatments are processing techniques that have been successfully used to change the amount of active ingredients in flaxseed. However, it is unknown if they work synergistically. This study investigated the effect of microwave-assisted germination on the lignan concentration and antioxidant activity of several flaxseed tissue components. Lignans were primarily dispersed in the flaxseed seed coat. Microwave treatment and germination significantly affected the levels of lignans in various flaxseed sections. Flaxseed hulls’ lignan content and antioxidant activity could be increased by microwave treatment (130 W for 14 s) after germination of 0, 48, or 96 h. Flaxseed kernels lignan content and antioxidant activity could be increased by microwave treatment (130 W for 10 s) before germination. Whole flaxseeds could be improved by microwave treatment (130 W for 10 s) after germination for 72 h. The findings provided a theoretical basis for reducing the loss of lignan resources in flaxseed, enhancing its use as a functional food ingredient, and clarifying the targeted utilization of various lignan sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oils and Fats: Structure and Stability)
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16 pages, 627 KB  
Article
Fatty Acid and Aroma Profiles of Microencapsulated Olive Oils from Southeastern Anatolia: Effects of Cultivar Variations, Storage Time, and Wall Material Formulation
by Songül Kesen and Eda Elgin Kiliç
Foods 2025, 14(14), 2439; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14142439 - 10 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1415
Abstract
The microencapsulation of olive oil plays an important role in food science and technology by controlling oxidative deterioration, improving emulsification, and preserving bioactive properties, ultimately benefiting product formulations in both the culinary and medical fields. This study is important in that it reveals [...] Read more.
The microencapsulation of olive oil plays an important role in food science and technology by controlling oxidative deterioration, improving emulsification, and preserving bioactive properties, ultimately benefiting product formulations in both the culinary and medical fields. This study is important in that it reveals the effect of the microencapsulation process on aroma compounds and provides a data set for investigating the potential use of powdered products. In this study, the microencapsulation of emulsions prepared with carbohydrate–protein-based coating materials of oils obtained from two different olive varieties (Nizip and Kilis Yaglik) grown in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey was carried out via the freeze-drying method. In the study, emulsions were formed using protein isolate (WPI) and maltodextrin (MD) at different ratios (1:1, 1:4, 1:10) as wall materials, and microcapsule powder products were obtained via the freeze-drying method. While the physical properties of the emulsions and microcapsules were examined, the oxidative stability, fatty acid profile, and aroma compounds were examined in oils and microcapsules. The changes in oxidative stability and aroma compounds were also monitored during storage (0, 45, and 90 days at room temperature). According to the data obtained, it was observed that the emulsion stability increased with increasing maltodextrin content. Similarly, the microencapsulation efficiency was also found to change in direct proportion to the maltodextrin ratio. Encapsulated samples showed better oxidative stability than oils. Oleic acid was the predominant fatty acid in both oils and microencapsulated products, followed by palmitic and linoleic acids. According to the aroma compounds, the microcapsules obtained from both types of oils were clearly separated from the oils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oils and Fats: Structure and Stability)
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