8-1 |
|
E. A. DECKER, Dept. of Food Science, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, 236 Chenoweth Lab., Box 31410, Amherst, MA 01003-1410 Lipids have been associated with health problems such as coronary heart disease and obesity. The association of dietary fats with chronic diseases has been primarily linked to their caloric density and their impact on blood lipid profiles. Because of these health concerns, many attempts have been made to produce low and no fat foods. Unfortunately, many of these products have been unsuccessful because consumers find them to have inferior quality compared to the full fat counterparts. This is because triacylglycerols have many important chemical and physical properties that enhance food quality. These properties include lubrication, viscosity enhancement, melting properties and crystallization behavior. In addition, while triacylglycerols do not directly contribute to food flavor, they can act as an important reservoir for fat-soluble flavorants. Many attempts have been made to produce food ingredients that have the physical and chemical properties of triacylglycerols. These include fat mimetics such as particulate microstructures that can provide lubrication and biopolymers that can enhance viscosity. Fat substitutes that are nondigestible or low calorie have also been developed to directly replace fat and its negative health effects. These ingredients have been largely unsuccessful due to their cost, inability to match the physical properties of triacylglycerols and consumer acceptance. Since fats play such a broad role in food quality, the development of successful low and no fat foods will need to have multiple chemical and physical attributes that mimic triacylglycerols. This will likely be accomplished by a combination of technologies instead of a single ingredient approach.
Session 8, Physics and chemistry of modifying food for caloric reduction
|