Q:  What are fat substitutes?


 A: Fat substitutes can be carbohydrate-, protein- or fat-based.

The first type to reach the market contained carbohydrate as the main ingredient. Avicel, for example, is a cellulose gel introduced in the mid-1960s by FMC Corp., and N-Oil is a tapioca dextrin introduced in the early 1980s by National Starch and Chemical Co. These types of fat substitutes are used in a variety of foods today, including lunch meats, salad dressings, frozen desserts, table spreads, dips, baked goods, and candy.

Protein-based fat substitutes entered the market in the early 1990s. There are two that have been affirmed as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS): microparticulated proteins from egg white or dairy protein and whey protein concentrate. Microparticulation is a process in which the protein is shaped into microscopic round particles that roll easily over one another. These fat substitutes give a better sensation in the mouth--"mouth feel" in industry parlance--than the carbohydrate-based ones and can be used in some cooked foods. However, they're not suitable for frying.

 

Source: Excerpted from FDA Backgrounder BG95-18, Nov 28 1995: Olestra and Other Fat Substitutes

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