New technologies on fat- and oil-based ingredients, plus technical tips on reducing fats were offered at one Prepared Foods’ R&D Applications Seminar.
Dietary advice on fats has gone from reducing all fat to consuming the “good” and avoiding the “bad” fat. Asim Syed, director, Global R&D, Healthy Oils Applications at Dow AgroSciences, explained this and more in his Prepared Foods’ R&D Seminar presentation titled “Fats and Oils: Developing Today for a Healthier Tomorrow.” He covered the evolution of fats and oils, including the rise and fall of partially hydrogenated fats and the reduction/elimination of trans fats from the diet.
Current clinical research supports the benefits of unsaturated fats, including omega-9 fatty acids. Monounsaturated fatty acid-based fats, such as omega-9 oils, can protect against cardiovascular disease risk factors. Canola, sunflower and soybean oils are typical sources of monounsaturated fats. Formulating foods with omega-9 oils can help create foods with great taste, improved nutritional profiles and cleaner labels.