Few food manufacturers can say they get through a day of production without using oil or fat of some kind. Bakery, confections, snacks, sauces, and condiments—all rely on the right oils or fats, and all their makers need to keep their fingers on the pulse of the latest in food oil developments and technology.
Ongoing advancements in seed oil breeding, extraction technology, functionality improvement, and competition in the multibillion-dollar field of fats and oils are constantly expanding the options. They not only bring advancements in the more mainstream oils from soy, peanuts, corn, sunflower seeds, canola, and other seeds, but also new sources of oil from other seeds (including fruit and vegetable seeds), grains, and even algae. Examples run the gamut from high-oleic versions of soy, canola, sunflower, and peanut oils to upcycling former discarded portions from processed ingredients. Such ingenuity has led to exploitation of such seeds as those from tomato, carrot, melons, and cucumber for their oils.
Improved processing technology is being applied to oils used in non- or low-heat treated applications, or for flavoring to give them extended shelf life and higher smoke points for cooking. These techniques preserve the health and flavor advantages of oils from olive, avocado, sesame, pumpkin seed, and tree nuts, among others. Meanwhile, food oils from traditional cuisines are making greater inroads into prepared food formulations. Popular examples include cumin, mustard, and fennel seed oils from South Asian cuisine, and chia seed oil from South America.
Ingredient technologists also are focusing on increasing shelf life of fats and oils through other, clean-label methods, especially via botanical extracts. Derived from sources such as rosemary, celery, and even cherries, as well as vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (tocopherol and tocotrienol), they are increasingly being used for protection of food oils as well as other perishable foods, such as meats.
Solid fats are being reimagined, with healthful, MCT-rich coconut oil leading the way. Palm oil also is coming back now that sustainability, traceability, and ecological issues are being addressed more vigorously to meet the demands of informed and aware consumers. But that’s not all: The use of simple, classic solid fats like butter, lard, and tallow is making a comeback now that their value for flavor, performance, and, yes, even healthful attributes are being rediscovered.
The biggest recent news in fats and oils is summed up in three letters: EPG. An esterified propoxylated glycerol, EPG is a newly approved, GRAS, non-GMO fat replacer made from canola oil and might just lead to a major paradigm shift in diet products.
EPG delivers the same mouthfeel, taste, and appearance as fat. The manufacturers of this modified plant-based oil split rapeseed oil into glycerin and fatty acids, then inserted a food-grade propoxyl connector to reattach the fatty acid and glycerin. This propoxyl link is resistant to digestive enzymes.
Unlike previous fat replacers, EPG does not lead to unwanted gastrointestinal side effects. It can be used to replace from 50% to 85% of the fat in a formulation, depending on the application, decreasing up to 92% of calories from fat, and up to 45% of total calories in the finished product. EPG is gluten-free, allergen-free, trans-fats-free, vegan, and kosher, and has a neutral flavor profile that adapts to the flavor of the product in which it is formulated.
Although satiety research has yet to be published, in the field of edible fats, EPG could prove to be something of a “holy grail” for product developers as a calorie-free fat with full function.
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