Fat replacers and their applications in food products: a review

ABSTRACT

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]