Origin
The main drivers for the current trend in using fat substitutes is consumer demand for healthier foods. Various types of natural ingredients are commercially-available as fat substitutes in foods and bakery applications.1,2
Function3,4
In addition to calorie reduction, effective fat substitutes should serve the following functions in baked goods:
- Good mouthfeel: by providing smooth sensation and lubrication during eating.
- Retard staling: by retaining moisture and reduced staling. This is mostly pronounced with gums.
- Texture: by maintaining baked goods soft texture.
- Flavor: absence of undesirable flavors that may interfere with baked goods typical flavor profile.
Types/Variations
There are three main categories of fat substitutes which can be used individually or in combination:
- Complex carbohydrates: by binding water, carbohydrates can mimic the texture and viscosity of fats in frozen desserts, snacks and baked goods.2,5
- Proteins: can entrap water to create a creamy texture similar to fats. Other approaches include creating tiny spheres of protein mixtures from egg and whey proteins which are designed to roll on the tongue when eaten.1,5
- Modified fats: include triglycerides that have been esterified with sugars to delay their digestion. This category is not very consumer-friendly due to some undesirable digestive health effects.1,2
Nutrition
Fat substitutes such as proteins and complex carbohydrates contribute less calories to the daily diet. Fiber derived substitutes such as beta-glucans can also provide digestive health benefits as well as allowing dietary fiber health claim.1,2,3
Commercial production
The production process varies with the type of the fat replacer. Fat-based substitutes can be obtained from enzyme-modified oils. Carbohydrate-based ingredients can be obtained from plants or seaweeds. Effective protein-based substitutes can replace fat mouthfeel via their perfectly small spherical-shaped particles made of egg whites and whey proteins.1
Application2
Examples of bakery products that can be formulated with fat replacers include:
- Cakes and muffins: inulin used at up to 50% fat substitution did not show any impact on cakes’ sensory properties despite slight increase in toughness.
- Biscuits: rice starch added up to 20% fat replacement led to decreased volume and increased thickness. Oat powder used at 100% substitution had minimum impact on overall acceptance despite the tendency to form harder biscuits.
- Crackers: inulin is one of the best candidates for fat substitution in crackers. When used up to 75% fat replacement no impact on sensory acceptance or physical and textural properties of crackers were detected.
Here’s a summary of typical advantages and drawbacks of fat substitutes:2
| Fat Substitute | Bakery System | Advantages | Drawbacks |
| Complex carbohydrates | Cakes
Crackers Biscuits Muffins |
|
|
| Proteins | Biscuits
Cakes |
|
|
| Modified fats | Biscuits
Cookies Cakes Brownies6 |
|
|
FDA regulations
Commonly used fat substitutes are generally recognized as safe by the FDA.2,6
References
- O’Sullivan, Maurice. A Handbook For Sensory And Consumer-Driven New Product Development. 1st ed., Elsevier Ltd, 2017, pp. 177-182.
- Colla, Kathryn et al. “Fat Replacers In Baked Food Products”. Foods, vol 7, no. 12, 2018, p. 192. Researchgate, doi:10.3390/foods7120192. Accessed 4 Apr 2020.
- Caballero, Benjamin et al. Encyclopedia Of Food Sciences And Nutrition. 2nd ed., Elsevier Science, 2003.
- “Fat Replacers – Review”. Vol 12, no. 2, 2006, pp. 433-442., Accessed 10 Apr 2020.
- Marcus, Jacqueline B. Culinary Nutrition:The Science And Practice Of Healthy Cooking. 1st ed., Elsevier/Academic Press, 2013, pp. 265-266.
- Omayma, E., and M. M. Youssef. “Fat replacers and their applications in food products: A review.” Journal Food Science and Technology 4.1 (2007): 29-44