Date: Wednesday 20th of March 2024, 13:00 (GMT).Location: Online MS Teams meeting
by Essam Hebishy, Centre of Excellence in Agri-food Technologies Building, National Centre for Food Manufacturing, College of Health and Science, University of Lincoln, South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone Campus, 2 Peppermint Way, Holbeach, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE12 7FJ, UK.
Abstract:
Strategy 1: Oleofoams (Oil Foams) as a strategy for saturated fat reduction in foods
Overconsumption of calorie-rich foods has been linked to chronic diseases like obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Fats are used in bakery products to enhance visual appeal, technological, and in-mouth properties. The British National Health System recommends reducing saturated fat intake to prevent coronary artery disease, as it increases blood cholesterol. The food industry is attempting to improve the nutritional composition of food products by replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats or reducing overall fat content. However, this approach can lead to the loss of essential attributes like texture, structure, and mouthfeel.Recent research has focused on whipped oleogels, or “oleofoam,” to create low-calorie food products. Oleofoams, water-free and less susceptible to microbial spoilage, are less susceptible to microbial spoilage and eliminate the need for preservatives. Oil foams hold promise for applications like reduced-fat spreads, aerated chocolate, cakes, and various food products in the food industry. Oleofoams, which are unstable due to their high surface area, can be stabilized by incorporating crystallizing agents like fat, fatty alcohol, fatty acid, or food-grade emulsifier crystals into vegetable oils. This approach offers benefits like extended shelf-life and reduced reliance on additives.
In this study, the utilization of oil interesterification, rice bran wax and monoglyceride was investigated to improve the stability of Oleofoams. Coconut oil (CO) contains high proportion of saturated fatty acid chains (act as crystals to stabilise the foam), and sunflower oil (SFO) which is rich in mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids hence they were utilised in this study.
Strategy 2: Use of mucoadhesive and mucus penetrative biopolymers for salt and sugar reduction
Salt and sugar are crucial in food processing and consumption, as they enhance the taste of products and can increase the pleasure of eating. However, the current intake of salt and sugar exceeds dietary guidelines, leading to health problems like cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The beverage industry is working to decrease sodium and sugar content in foods, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages. Strategies include tastant replacers, substitutes, and flavor enhancers, as well as stepwise reductions of tastant levels over time. Sugar reduction is achieved through direct sugar reduction, multi-sensory integration, sweeteners, and other technical methods. However, direct reduction can negatively impact consumer acceptance and sensory quality. Artificial sweeteners are also genotoxic and potentially carcinogenic, presenting a challenge to develop lower-calorie, safer sweetened beverages.
Mucosal membranes on the tongue contain a mucus gel layer, which acts as a barrier for delivering active molecules like drugs. Natural biopolymers, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and their mixtures, can interact with the mucosal membrane, enhancing or delaying salt and sugar release. Mucoadhesion (MA) occurs when biopolymer molecules bind to the mucosal surface of the tongue, improving the retention time of active substances and promoting site-specific delivery. Food grade polysaccharides, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium alginate, and pectin, are considered mucoadhesives due to their ability to enhance retention and control the release of active molecules. Mucus penetration (MP) is another phenomenon where biopolymers can spread over the mucosa and penetrate deeper mucus regions, improving drug absorption and particle distribution. Mucoadhesion and MP are opposite properties that biopolymeric systems can exhibit.