Wax and wax-based products

1. A candle comprising a wick and a lipid-based wax:

wherein the lipid-based wax comprises an interesterified polyol fatty acid ester component; and the lipid-based wax has a melting point of about 55° C. to 75° C.; an SFI-40 of at least about 20; and an Iodine Value of about 15 to 65.

2. The candle of claim 1 wherein the lipid-based wax has an SFI-40 of at least about 40.

3. The candle of claim 1 wherein the lipid-based wax has a slump temperature of at least about 120° F.

4. The candle of claim 1 wherein the lipid-based wax includes at least about 51 wt. % of a fully interesterified polyol fatty acid ester component.

5. The candle of claim 4 wherein the fully interesterified polyol fatty acid ester component includes a fully interesterified triacylglycerol component.

6. The candle of claim 1 wherein the lipid-based wax has a melting point of at least about 60° C.

7. The candle of claim 1 wherein the lipid-based wax further comprises a polyol fatty acid partial ester.

8. The candle of claim 1 wherein the lipid-based wax includes a fatty acid monoglyceride ester, a fatty acid diglyceride ester or a mixture thereof.

9. The candle of claim 1 wherein the lipid-based wax further comprises a second component selected from the group consisting of petroleum waxes, insect waxes, free fatty acids and mixtures thereof.

10. A candle comprising a wick and a lipid-based wax:

wherein the lipid-based wax has a melting point of about 48° C. to about 75° C.; and includes at least about 51 wt. % of a polyol fatty acid ester component formed by a process which comprises interesterifying a polyol fatty acid ester precursor mixture.

11. A method of forming a candle comprising:

compressing a plurality of particles of a lipid-based wax to form a candle;

wherein the lipid-based wax has a melting point of about 55° C. to 70° C.; and an SFI-40 of at least about 40; and lipid-based wax comprises at least about 51 wt. % of a fully interesterified polyol fatty acid ester component.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising inserting a wick into the candle.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the lipid-based wax comprises a triacylglycerol component having a fatty acid composition which includes no more than about 15 wt. % palmitic acid.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein fully interesterified polyol fatty acid ester component includes a fully interesterified triacylglycerol component; the lipid-based wax comprises at least about 51 wt. % of the fully interesterified triacylglycerol component.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the lipid-based wax further comprises a polyol fatty acid partial ester.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the lipid-based wax has a melting point of at least about 140° F. (60° C.).

17. A lipid-based wax comprising at least about 51 wt. % of a fully interesterified polyol fatty acid ester component.

18. A candle comprising a wick and a lipid-based wax:

wherein the lipid-based wax has a melting point of about 48° C. to about 75° C. and includes at least about 51 wt. % of a triacylglycerol component having a fatty acid composition which includes X wt. % stearic acid; and the triacylglycerol component has a SSS-TAG content which is given by (X3/104)±3 wt. %.

19. A method of producing a candle comprising:

spraying a molten lipid-based wax through a nozzle to form finely dispersed liquid wax particles;

solidifying the finely dispersed liquid wax to form prilled wax granules; and

compression molding the prilled wax granules to form a candle;

wherein the lipid-based wax has a melting point of about 48° C. to about 75° C.; and

includes at least about 51 wt. % of a polyol fatty acid ester component formed by a process which comprises interesterifying a polyol fatty acid ester precursor mixture.