Troubleshooting Sugar Gel Separation in Oil Gel
Question
I am trying to make an oil gel using Sugar Gel, glycerin, water, and coconut oil. Following my procedure (mixing Sugar Gel, glycerin, water, heating to 70-80°C, then heating coconut oil to 70-80°C, and pouring the oil into the gel mixture), the product separates into a cloudy white layer on top and oil at the bottom, failing to form a consistent gel. How can I fix this separation issue?
Answer
Troubleshooting Sugar Gel Separation
Based on the properties and usage instructions for Sugar Gel (creates oil gel texture / Oil Gellant), the separation you are experiencing when adding coconut oil is likely due to the method of combining the oil phase with the gel phase.
Sugar Gel works by creating a gel structure with the water and glycerin, and then incorporating the oil into this structure. The key is to add the oil slowly while continuously stirring the Sugar Gel mixture. Pouring the oil in too quickly or without sufficient stirring will prevent the oil from being properly emulsified and gelled, leading to separation.
The recommended steps for using Sugar Gel to create an oil gel are:
- Dissolve Sugar Gel in Glycerin and water. Heat this mixture to 70-80°C and stir gradually until it forms a creamy texture.
- Heat the oil (coconut oil in your case) to 70-80°C.
- Slowly pour the heated oil into the heated Sugar Gel mixture from step 1, while stirring or spinning continuously. Do not pour all the oil at once. Add it gradually while maintaining continuous mixing until the gel texture is achieved. Then, you can continue adding the rest of the oil slowly with stirring.
An example formula provided for a Clear Oil Gel using Fractionated Coconut Oil is:
- Oil (e.g., Fractionated Coconut Oil): 81%
- Glycerin: 10%
- Sugar Gel: 5%
- Water: 4%
It's possible that your ratios are also contributing to the issue, but the most critical step is the slow addition of oil with continuous, vigorous stirring at the recommended temperature range (70-80°C) until the gel forms.
Please try adjusting your method to strictly follow the slow pouring and continuous stirring technique when adding the coconut oil to your Sugar Gel mixture.
