Dropping Calories, Maintaining Taste and Functionality 2003

Fat Substitutes: When will we be able to deliver the "free lunch"?

Functions of Fats in Foods

Plasticizer

Mouthfeel

Appearance

Carrier for flavors

Carrier for Fat Soluble Vitamins/ Carotenoids/Essential Fatty acids

Heat Transfer

Fat Free

21 CFR 101.12 Reference amounts customarily consumed per eating occasion.

What does it mean?

< 0.5g/ serving

How big is a serving?

Whole Milk = Fat Free?

When serving size is 1 TBS

Fat Replacers

Water

Carbohydrate

Protein

Modified fats

Synthetic fats

Reference

ADA.1998.Position of the American Dietetic Association: Fat Replacers. J. Amer. Dietetics Assoc. 98(4):463-8

Water

Cheap

Label friendly

Usually free from regulatory constraints

Doesn’t effect calories from fat

Carbohydrates

Microcrystalline cellulose

Starch

Modified

Physical

Chemical

Maltodextrins

Gums

Sodium alginate

Propyleneglycol alginate

Xanthan gum

Guar or Locust bean gum

Pectin

Carrageenan

Agar

Carboxymethyl cellulose

Beta glucan

Protein

Simplesse

Whey or whey/egg

Other "microparticulated" proteins

Protein gels

Gelatin

Whey

Modified fats

Mono and Di-glycerides

Diacylglcerol

Medium chain triglycerides

Caprenin

Salatrim — "Benefat"

Caprenin

Triglyceride containing:

Behenic (22:0)

Capric (10:0)

Caprylic (8:0)

Used in the failed "new" Snickers

Derailed by surprise increase in LDL

Salatrim aka Benefat

Short And Long Acyl Triglyceride Molecule

Triglyceride containing

Stearic (18:0) and

Acetic (2:0) and/or

Propionic (3:0) and/or

Butyric (4:0)

Salatrim

4.5 - 6 calories per gram

Reduction based on:

Short chain fatty acids

~50% absorption of stearate

Salatrim References

Smith et al. 1994. An Overview of SALATRIM, A Family of Low-Calorie Fats. J.Ag.&Food Chem.42, 432-434.

Hayes et al. 1994. Review of Triacylglcerol Digestion, Absorption, and Metabolism with Respect to SALATRIM Triacylglycerols. J.Ag.&Food Chem.42, 474-483.

Synthetic fats

Alkoxyderivatives

Ethers

Sucrose polyesters

Others

Olestra

Sucrose polyester

6-8 fatty acids

Lipase sterically inhibited

Olestra problems

Anal leakage

Gastric distress

Stripping of fat soluble vitamins

Olestra Advantages

No calories

Can be used as frying medium

Now approved for snack foods

Olestra Consensus

Tastes similar to "real" chips

Gastric distress will be self-limiting

Fat soluble vitamins should not be a problem

No one will lose any weight

Olestra References

Anon. 1966, 21 CFR Part 172, Food additives permitted for direct addition to food for human consumption: Olestra; Final Rule. FR 61, 3117-3173.

Conclusion

There are lots of tools

Only sensory equivalent products will survive

Potential to reduce calories, but it is likely that calories in the diet will be unaffected

Additional References

S. Roller and S. A. Jones. 1996. Handbook of Fat Replacers, CRC Press, Inc., Florida

Giese, J. (1996b). Fats, Oils, and Fat Replacers. Food Technol., 50 (4) 78-84