RESEARCH
Literature data show that different branches of industry are still looking for the best solution of structuring edible oils without addition of palm oil or different saturated fats to cause solidification of different products.
The conventional approach for structuring oil that is currently used in the food industries relies on the use of crystalline triacylglycerols (TAGs).
Alternative approaches that are based on the use of non-TAG structurants are nowadays explored to achieve efficient structuring of oil at comparatively lower concentrations.
The main functional role of gelator agents in formulation would be to provide structure and stabilization of the final product, possibility for controlled delivery of nutraceuticals and controlling of oil mobility and migration.
Through intensive research during the last two decades, more than 1000 structurally different low-molecular weight organic gelators (LMWOG) were shown to exhibit gelling ability toward various organic solvents and water.
Although many low-molecular-weight gelators have been discovered and a few low-molecular-weight gelators have been used in cosmetics and commodities, their market shares are small, compared with polymer gelators.
Source: Chemistry – A European Journal
The field of fat mimetics has been developed during the past decade due to the need of saturated fats replacement. Fat mimetics include polymeric networks of ethylcellulose, networks of proteins and polysaccharides, and self-assembled networks of lipid crystals.
There has been conducted an extensive research of formulating various products with fat mimetics. These include bakery products, chocolate, dairy products, margarines, spreads, and meat products. Fat mimetics showed functionality in different formulations what makes them a promising alternative to solid fats in food products.
Saturated fats provide the structure and functionality in numerous food products.
In order to replace saturated fats (solid fat) with unsaturated fats (liquid oil) without disturbing structural and sensory characteristics of the food product, the properties of the liquid oil have to be structured to the state of solid fats.
Fat mimetics have improved the fatty acid profile in different food products and possibility for delivery of lipid soluble bioactive compounds.