A study coordinated by Ana Salvador and Teresa Sanz, researchers from the IATA's Physical and Sensory Properties of Foods Group, has achieved the total substitution of solid fats such as butter, margarine, palm fat and coconut fat, by oleogels, in the production of croissants and other bakery and confectionery foods. The structure and sensory properties of the product are very similar to those of conventional food, but with a healthy lipid profile.
In the study, carried out within the framework of a national project, doctors Isabel Hernando and Amparo Quiles, scientists from the Microstructure and Food Chemistry Group of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), have also participated.
Oleogels or oil gels have been formulated with various types of oil (sunflower and olive) and different hydrocolloids or food emulsifiers, with which texture patterns have been obtained that mimic the plasticity of solid fats. In addition to croissants, they have been applied in other food matrices such as chocolates or chocolate spreads, with very promising results. The development of these oleogels is achieved with the use of thickening agents for food use, such as xanthan gum or cellulose derivatives, through a simple and environmentally friendly production method.
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