FAT REPLACERS AND THE FUNCTIONALITY OF FAT IN FOODS

Developing no- and low-fat products is a high priority for the food in dustry. Given the variety of fat replacers available, how does a produ ct developer decide which to use! Fat replacers can be divided into th ree classes on the basis of their composition: protein-based, carbohyd rate-based and fat-based. Each has different functional properties tha t provide both advantages and limitations in specific applications. Pr esently there is no 'silver bullet' - no single fat replacer that cont ributes all of the desired sensory and functional qualities to all pro ducts. A systems approach, one that makes use of a combination of two or more wisely chosen fat replacers, coupled with formula and procedur al changes appears to be the best current strategy.