Hydrogel Particles Could Someday Be Used To Reduce Caloric Content Of Fatty Foods

Many emulsion-based food products – sauces, dressings, desserts, etc. – are fairly high in fat-derived calories. Reducing their caloric content is difficult without damaging texture, flavor, and other critical characteristics. But U.S. scientists who collaborated with ConAgra foods on a new study report that hydrogel particles could easily be used to develop reduced-calorie foods without harming those characteristics. They came up with a simplified way to make oil-filled hydrogel particles from a concoction of fat droplets, caseinate and pectin. The particles could someday be used to replace fat droplets or starch granules in reduced calorie products.