Fat replacers and their applications in food products: a review

Link of fats to chronic disease in Europe and North America is well established. Overconsumption of high energy-dense foods may contribute to energy imbalance and lead to increasing incidence and prevelance of obesity as well as the risk of chronic diseases. Fat replacers are used to provide some or all of the functional properties of fat while providing fewer calories than the fat being replaced. They are either fat substitutes or mimetics. Fat substitutes are lipid-like substances intended to replace fats on a one-to-one basis. Fat mimetics are protein or carbohydrate ingredients which function by imitating the physical, textural mouth feel and organoleptic properties of real fats. Carbohydrate-based fat replacers are derived from cereals, grains and plants, these ingredients include both digestible and indigestible complex carbohydrates. They include starch and fiber-based fat mimetics. The former include maltodextrins, and modified starches, while the latter include microcrystalline cellulose methylcellulose, gums, pectins, hydrocolloid gums and polydextrose. Protein-based fat replacers such as microparticuIated whey protein provide structure, viscosity, creaminess and opacity, a clean flavour base with only one-thrid of the calories in fat. The majority of fat-based fat replacers are emulsifiers or lipid analogs. They are neither hydrolyzed nor absorbed by the body in the same manner as normal fat and thus contribute substantially fewer calories. Numerous applications of fat replacers have been discussed. The main food commodities being targets in this respect include bakery products [cookies, pound cakes], meat products [beef burger and frankfurter type sausage] dairy products [cheeses, yoghurt and ice-cream] and other products [human milk fat substitute, low-calorie structured lipids and mayonnaise]

Tocopherols: their role in stabilizing anhydrous butter-fat[Ghee] and butter cookies

Two different concentrations of mixed Tocopherols known commercially as Covi-OxT50 [Covi 50] and Covi-OxT70 [Covi 70] together with a single concentration of a synthetic antioxidant known as Tenox 25 [T25] were added to butter and anhydrous butter fat [ABF] Ghee. Butter cookies made from the aforementioned butter were prepared and stored at tropical room temperature conditions [37-45°C and 95% RH] for 4 months. Chemical and sensory tests were performed for quality testing. The oxidative stability of ABF was performed by determining the conjugated dienes [CD], acid value [AV], free fatty acids [FFA] and peroxide value [PV] at regular intervals [2 weeks] under accelerated storage conditions [63°C for 6 weeks]. Results of the oxidative rancidity Indicated that the addition of Covi 70 and T25 to the ABF significantly [P<0.05] retarded the oxidative rancidity as measured by the aforementioned parameters. No significant effects were detected in most of the tests between Covi 70 and 125 which emphasize the outstanding effect of Covi 70 in retarding the onset of rancidity and stabilizing the ABF under the experimental conditions. Results of the chemical analysis indicated the presence of a significant [P<0.05] drop in both the moisture content and the pH values and a significant rise [P<0.05] in the TBA values of the stored cookies as a function of time. Both Covi 50 and Covi 70 exhibited a significant [P<0.05] effect in maintaining the aforementioned parameters as compared to the control and the synthetic antioxidant. The sensory evaluation results showed that higher scores for the taste, odour and overall acceptance were given to the Covi 70- containing cookies as compared to the control and the other added antioxidants

Effect of added tocopherols on the stability of palm olein and biscuits contaning palm olein stored at tropical conditions

The oxidative stability of palm olein oil, with an added synthetic antioxidant, namely; Tenox 25 [T25] and two concentrates of tocopherol mixtures, namely, Covi Ox-T50 [Covi 50] and Covi Ox-T70 [Covi 70] was evaluated for 4 months storage under tropical conditions. The oxidative stability of palm olein oil stored under the aforementioned conditions was monitored by determining the conjugated dienes [CD], acid value [AV], free fatty acid [FFA], peroxide value [PV], p-anisidine value [PA], iodine value [IV] and the total oxidation value [TOTOX]. The antioxidant index [AI] was also calculated. The quality of biscuits containing palm olein oil was also evaluated under the aforementioned storage conditions. Data were analysed by the general linear analysis. Results of the oxidation measurements showed that the activity of the individual antioxidants used in the present study varied with the same type of oil, but in most of the tests, the tocopherols were as equally effective as the strong synthetic T25 and/or more superior than it in many aspects. The AI for the different antioxidants had values higher than unity and were similarly effective as T25 indicating their antioxidative powers in inhibiting the onset of rancidity in the stored oil. Results of the quality tests of the stored biscuits indicated that the low concentrate tocopherol Covi 50 significantly [P<0.05] prevented moisture loss and rancidity development as measured by the thiobarbituric acid number [TBA] as compared to the other antioxidants. Both added tocopherols and T25 were equally effective in preventing the pH rise of the stored biscuits as compared to the control. The sensory evaluation showed that higher scores were given by the panelists for all antioxidant treated samples without differentiation

Quality and safety of atlantic mackerel [scomber scomberus]: Effect of intermittent exposure at different temperatures

The quality and safety of fresh Atlantic mackerel [Scomber scombrus] due to repeated intermittent exposure 8 hr at 15 and 30 degree sign C prior to 16 hr ice storage was monitored. The experimental procedure simulates the handling regimes experienced in the markets of many developing countries. Histamine levels. thiobarbituric acid [TBA], hypoxanthine [Hx] and water binding potential [WBP] values as well as sensorical parameters were followed up for 4 days. Results indicated the presence of significant [P<0.01] hazardous histamine levels at day 4 for the high temperature [30 degree sign C] intermittent samples. 71 TBA values of the intermittent samples and control showed different induction trends. They reached significantly higher values at day 4 and were independent whether the intermittent temperatures were at 15 or 30 degree sign C. The Hx values of intermittent samples at 15 and 30 degree sign C were significantly higher than the control and reached their maximum peaking at day 2.The correlationcoefpcientfor both TBA and Hx values and flavour as scored by panelists showed a strongnegative correlation. The WBP values did not show distinctive significant values among different temperature exposures. Sensorical scores indicated that the odour, flavour and texture after day 3 were below the limits of acceptability. The chemical and sensory data emphasize the critical and hazardous handling regimes of fresh fatty fish at intermittent high temperatures [30 degree sign C] in the markets of many tropical developing countries

Dry-salted fish cakes prepared from carp [cyprinus carpio] mince: Assessment of quality attributes

Common carp [Cyprinus carpio] mince was used to prepare dry-salted fish cakes. Different salt concentrations at 10, 20, 30 and 40% as percentage proportions of the weight of mince, were thoroughly mixed, moulded and dried for 1 hr at 70 degree sign c prior to drying at 40 degree sign c for 48 hr. The moisture content, TBA number, TVN and microbiological evaluation were monitored for 4 months at ambient temperature, while sensory attributes were followed up for 3 months. Results indicated that in spite of the significant differences [p<0.01] in all chemical and sensoricl parameters, the 20, 30 and 40% salted cakes were found to be stable an acceptable over the storage period. The 10% dry salted cakes were scored poor and unacceptable by panelists. The bacteria, mould and yeast viable counts in all treated samples decreased as the storage time elapsed. Neither bacteria nor yeasts and moulds could be detected after 4 months of storge in the dry-salted fish cakes containing 40% salt. The cogulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus was not found under the prevailing experimental conditions. The aforementioned results suggest a reasonable shelf life which stimulates the distribution of the product prepared in the present study at ambient temperature