Pomegranate seed oil organogels structured by propolis wax, beeswax, and their mixture,

The capability of propolis wax, beeswax, and their mixture to gel pomegranate seed oil (PSO) was studied. Samples were prepared increasing the concentration of waxes in pomegranate seed oil from 5 to 15% w/w. After propolis wax, beeswax, and PSO chemical characterization, thermal, and structural properties of wax‐based organogels were studied. Both propolis wax and beeswax formed organogel thanks to the presence of crystal networks made of needle‐like β′‐form crystals. Based on FTIR spectroscopy, mainly van der Waals interactions were formed in the systems. Propolis wax organogels displayed lower firmness and G′ and G″ modulus in comparison to the corresponding beeswax samples. This was due to the presence of larger crystals with a less organized network. The observed behaviors were attributed to differences in chemical composition between these two types of waxes. The combined use of propolis wax and beeswax led to organogels with behavior in between the organogels with single waxes, probably as a consequence of the formation of mixed crystals.