Novel trans fat replacement strategies

• Ethylcellulose oleogel mechanical properties can be tailored to match those of fat.
• Wax oleogels are easy to prepare and derived from natural sources.
• Structured emulsions help reduce fat as well as structure oil.
• The future of oil structuring calls for the combination of various strategies.

The requirement for removing partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in food products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is challenging the food industry to seek out healthy replacements that do not change the physical and sensory properties of end products. This article reviews novel strategies to structure liquid oils as PHO alternatives. The oil structuring mechanisms of ethylcellulose oleogels, plant-based wax oleogels, and monoglyceride-structured emulsions are discussed in detail. The structural and mechanical properties of such systems can be tailored to mimic that of PHO based fat systems. These oil-structuring methods show promise for applications in PHO-free products.

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