Available online at www.sciencedirect.
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ScienceDirect
Applications of fat mimetics for the replacement of
saturated and hydrogenated fat in food products
Ashok R Patel1,2, Reed A Nicholson3 and
Alejandro G Marangoni3
Driven by the need for trans and saturated fat replacement
strategies, the field of fat mimetics has made tremendous
advances over the past decade. Fat mimetics include
polymeric networks of ethylcellulose, emulsion-templated
networks of proteins and polysaccharides, colloidal and self-
assembled fibrillar networks of polar lipid crystals, as well as
solid o/w emulsions of oil trapped within crystallized lamellar
mesophases. Extensive research has gone into formulating
various food products with fat mimetics. These include, bakery
products (cakes and laminated pastries), chocolate, dairy
products (cream cheese), margarines and spreads, and meat
products. The clean-label nature of the ingredients used to
produce fat mimetics and their demonstrated functionality
makes them a promising alternative to solid fats in food
products.
Addresses
1
Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
2
Guangdong Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Shantou, China
3
Department of Food Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario,
Canada
Corresponding author:
Marangoni, Alejandro G (Amarango@uoguelph.ca)
Current Opinion in Food Science 2020, 33:61–68
This review comes from a themed issue on Food physics and
materials science
Edited by Maria Teresa Pedrosa Silva Clerici
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cofs.2019.12.008
2214-7993/ã 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Introduction
Poor food choices and sedentary lifestyles are major
factors contributing to the increased world-wide inci-
dence of obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular
disease. This has led to regulatory agencies in multiple
countries requiring unattractive front of package labels
on food products containing prominent levels of salt,
sugar, and fat (or saturated fat). Following the demise of
partially hydrogenated oils because of their high trans fat
content, saturated fats have become the new target. The
reason being, consumption of saturated fats in place of
www.sciencedirect.com
polyunsaturated fats has clearly been shown to raise both
total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
Elevated levels of these molecules are risk factors for
cardiovascular disease. In addition to the health concerns
surrounding saturated fat intake, the sustainability of
several sources of saturated fat have been called into
question. Besides fats of animal origin this is most
evident with palm oil. Production of palm oil has caused
extensive deforestation and habitat loss in the rainforests
of Southeast Asia and is expanding in other biodiverse
regions, including South America. Further complicating
sourcing are concerns over veganism, genetically modi-
fied organisms, animal welfare, and religious beliefs.
However, saturated fats provide the structure and func-
tionality necessary in numerous food products. In order
to replace saturated fats (solid fat) with unsaturated fats
(liquid oil) without compromising the sensory and qual-
ity characteristics of the food product, the properties of
the oil must first be made to mimic those of the solid fat.
Research into fat mimetics began almost two decades
ago and has brought about numerous ways through
which edible oils can be structured to produce a much
more solid-like material (Figure 1). More recently, sev-
eral of these fat mimetics techniques have achieved a
great deal of success when used in a variety of food
applications.
Fat mimetics – mechanical properties
One of the most desirable characteristics of edible fats is
their spreadability. Spreadability is a complex term that
encompasses both hardness, and the elastic constant,
and flow characteristics post yield stress. In our experi-
ence, an ideal fat should have a shear elastic modulus of
about 1  105–5  106 Pa and a yield stress between
200 and 1000 Pa. These values span the range ‘soft’ to
‘hard’. More importantly though, when a stress greater
than the yield stress of the fat is applied, the fat must
undergo plastic flow rather than brittle fracture. This is
appreciated when spreading cold butter onto a piece of
bread in contrast to room temperature butter. This
plastic flow is very difficult to achieve using fat
mimetics. Most fat mimetics are hard but brittle. It is
possible to match the hardness of the fat, but not its
plasticity. In recent work with Gravelle et al. [1], this
problem was addressed. A new large deformation
mechanical test method was developed using back
extrusion. As the plunger penetrates a test tube full of
fatty material, a force-deformation pattern is collected. If
Current Opinion in Food Science 2020, 33:61–68
62 Food physics and materials science

Figure 1

Fat mimetics

Indirect oil structuring Oil structuring (oleogelation) Structured biphasis systems

Non-lipidic gelators
e.g., ethylcellulose
via solvent exchange chitin Gelled emulsions
e.g., protein hydrogels Lipidic gelators Oil bulking/ Emulsion gels
carrageenan aerogels μm
0.0 nm

8
10 μm Structured emulsions
8
4
via colloid templates 6
e.g., emulsion-templates 2
4
foam-templates
2 10 μm
8
6
4
2

50 µm

Monocomponent gels
e.g., partial glycerides
natural waxes
fatty alcohols Mixed gels
hydroxylated fatty acids e.g., fatty acid + fatty alcohol
sitosterol + oryzanol
lecithin + tocopherols
lecithin + sorbitan tristearate

Current Opinion in Food Science

Schematic diagram of fat mimetics strategies. Microstructural images of different samples are depicted. From left to right: Polarized Light
Microscopy (scale bar = 200 mm) of foam templated oil (structuring agent: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose); Atomic Force Microscopy of oleogel
structured by direct dispersion of ethylcellulose (non-lipidic gelator); Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy (scale bar = 6 mm) of a sunflower wax
(lipidic gelator) structured oleogel; and Confocal Microscopy (scale bar = 25 mm) of a structured emulsion prepared through the encapsulation of
tightly packed oil droplets within crystalline layers of monoacylglycerols.

the material is brittle, the pattern will be jagged upon mimetics needs to consider their plastic flow behavior
flowing. This ‘jaggedness’ comes from the brittle frac- if applications are to become a reality.
ture of the material. In this work, the plasticity of the
oleogelator system 70:30 (w/w) stearyl alcohol-stearic Fat mimetics — food applications
acid (SOSA) was modified by addition of 4% ethylcel- Although, most studies on fat mimetics have been
lulose (EC) 45 cP and compared to three commercial mainly focused on the fundamental understanding of
margarine brands (Figure 2). One striking observation is the structuring principles and rheological characteriza-
the very jagged force-deformation pattern of the SOSA tion, in recent years, reports on exploring functionality of
oleogel. By addition of 4% EC, well below the gelation oleogels for potential applications in actual food formula-
concentration of EC, this jaggedness, which is due to tions have been published [2,3]. Moreover, approximately
brittleness, was eliminated and the material became 50 patents have been filed in the last 10 years, suggesting
much more plastic and spreadable. One obvious obser- the potential commercial value of such applications in
vation is how all the force-deformation profiles for the industrial settings.
margarine samples were very smooth, thus indicating
a high plasticity for these products. Even though the Even though microstructural and rheological properties of
EC-SOSA patterns did not match exactly that of the fat mimetics are quite different from fat, when they are
commercial margarines, the improvement in plasticity used to replace fat in food products, the end products do
was notable. Interestingly, the EC-SOSA patterns sug- show comparable qualities to the standard formulation. In
gest a greater plastic character in the EC-SOSA gels than fact, in some cases, the properties of reformulated
in the margarine samples, as indicated by spread products are even found to be better than the standards.
(increase in deformation) without much of an increase Some notable examples of these application studies
in force after yielding. Future development of fat are discussed below for several product categories,

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 Novel fat mimetics in foods 63

Figure 2 long-term softness (for improving shelf life), and d)

emulsify and hold water (for retaining moistness over
25 storage and to prevent drying) [4].
SOSA 8%
Fat mimetics such as wax-based oil gels, polymer gels
20
prepared through indirect methods, and structured emul-
Force (N)

sions have been explored for replacement of bakery fats.

15 Commercial 1
Commercial 2
10
SOSA 8% + EC 4%
5 Commercial 3
0 to be comparable to the products prepared with bakery
0 10 20 30
Distance (mm)
Current Opinion in Food Science
Back-extrusion testing force deformation profiles. Three commercial
Canadian margarine samples, as well as canola oil structured using
8% stearyl alcohol-stearic acid (70:30 w/w) with and without addition
of 4% ethylcellulose 45 cP were tested at 4 C [1].
representative images of the application studies are
shown in Figure 3.
Baking products
Bakery products such as bread, biscuits, pastries, cakes
and so on, require different types of bakery fats broadly
categorized into shortening and butter (or baking marga-
rine). The varied functions of bakery fat in dough, and the
properties imparted to the final baked products can be
listed as follows: a) lubrication (for tender texture); b)
aeration (for volume and uniform cell structure); c) retain
On comparing the dough properties (such as density,
microstructure, and rheology) and finished product char-
acteristics (texture, stability, and sensorial aspects), it has
usually been found that although the rheology of inter-
mediate products prepared using fat mimetics is less
developed, the properties of baked products were found
fats [4,5,6,7,8]. For instance, Hwang et al. [9] studied the
replacement of bakery fat with oil gels made with four
different natural waxes (sunflower wax, beeswax, rice
bran wax, and candelilla wax) and three different vegeta-
ble oils (olive, soybean, and flaxseed). They found that
while the oleogel hardness and melting behavior were
significantly affected by the type of wax and oil, the
cookie properties (hardness, spread factor, and fractur-
ability) were not significantly affected by different waxes
and oils. Several of these cookies showed similar proper-
ties to cookies made with the commercial margarine. Jang
et al. [10] reported that replacement of shortening with
wax oleogels increased the spread factor and reduced the
snapping force, thus, producing cookies with soft eating
characteristics. In another study, Oh and Lee [11] found
that up to 50% of shortening could be replaced with fat
mimetics in muffins without negatively affecting the final
qualities of baked products even though the viscoelastic-
ity of the batter was reduced. Similarly, for gluten-free
aerated products, a partial replacement of shortening (up
to 45%) with fat mimetics resulted in final products with
comparable properties to the control [12].

Figure 3

PRODUCTS

(a) (b) (c) (d)

BAKERY MARGARINE CHOCOLATE MEAT

Cakes Laminated Pastries Spreads Chocolate Paste Heat Resistant Frankfusters

Chocolate

Current Opinion in Food Science

Food products prepared using fat mimetics. Representative images of: (a) bakery products: cakes formulated with a gelled emulsion and
laminated pastries prepared using a structured emulsion (Coasun Laminate) as the shortening alternatives; (b) margarine spread made with a
shellac-based oil gel; (c) chocolate products: chocolate paste with shellac wax replacing the oil binder and heat resistance chocolate (HRC)
prepared using EC as the structuring agent (control (l) and HRC (r) after 2 hour incubation at 40 C); (d) meat products: frankfurter-type sausages
formulated with EC oleogel in place of hard fats.

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64 Food physics and materials science
Fat replacement in laminated pastries (such as puff-
pastries, croissants, and Danish pastries) is a long-
standing challenge in the bakery industry. Therefore,
new innovations in this product category will be of
particular interest. Roll-in shortenings or laminate fats
used in these products need to fulfill plasticity, melting
range, and hardness criteria that are specific to the dough.
Blake and Marangoni [13] successfully demonstrated the
use of structured emulsions (with some modifications) for
replacement of roll-in shortenings or laminate fats.
Chocolate and confectionary products
The main stability issue in chocolate and confectionary
products is the migration and leakage of oil under storage
conditions. Because of the fact that solid fat acts as an oil
binder, replacement with fat mimetics needs to be care-
fully tailored to avoid compromising the stability of
products. To this end, oil structurants that work either
alone or together with the sugar network such as poly-
mers, waxes, and resins (shellac) have been explored in
products like chocolate bars [14], praline fillings [15],
chocolate pastes [6], peanut butter [16], and confection-
ary creams [17].
Of particular interest is the application of polymer-EC for
producing chocolates that resist deformation at high
temperatures (above 40 C). Stortz and Marangoni [18]
employed a unique approach to introduce EC into the
chocolate mass by adding it in the form of an ethanolic
solution followed by evaporation of the solvent leaving
behind the EC where it could structure the fat phase and
strengthen the sugar network of the chocolate in situ. This
indirect method of using a volatile solvent avoids the high
temperature normally associated with the formation of
EC oleogels.
Also of interest is the complete replacement of specific
components (i.e. oil binders) used in confectionary pro-
ducts. Confectionary products such as chocolate paste and
peanut butter are paste-like dispersions or highly concen-
trated suspensions where non-fat particles (plant-cell
fragments and fine sugar particles) are dispersed in an
oil continuous phase. Rheologically speaking, these
paste-like dispersions behave like an arrested ‘soft’ solid
at rest (in order to prevent sedimentation of dispersed
particles and avoid the liquid oil separation) and display a
more ‘liquid-like’ spreading behavior (or yielding) under
applied force. This interesting rheological property is
imparted in part by the crystalline fat network in the
continuous oil phase and specific stabilizers (i.e. oil bin-
ders) that decrease the surface interactions/friction among
non-fat particles. Hydrogenated oils are the most com-
monly used oil binders and are typically added at 2%wt
or less. In two different studies, structuring agents (shel-
lac wax and hydrophilic cellulose derivatives) were
successfully used to replicate the oil binding functionality
in peanut butter and chocolate paste formulations
Current Opinion in Food Science 2020, 33:61–68
respectively [6,16]. Comparable stability and rheologi-
cal properties were obtained at addition levels of 1–2%wt
of these structuring agents.
Dairy products
A range of dairy products are consumed on a regular
basis, including products such as butter and cheese that
form a part of daily diets and indulgence products such as
whipped cream and ice creams. From a colloid science
point of view, these products could be broadly classified
as structured emulsions (butter and butter spreads),
coagulated gels (various cheese types), and foamed
emulsions (ice creams and whipped creams). These
products greatly vary in microstructures, with all of them
containing a significant proportion of milk fat distributed
either in the bulk or dispersed phases. The high melting
fraction of milk fat is responsible for providing the
underlying colloidal network of crystalline particles,
which in turn governs the macrostructure and organo-
leptic properties of dairy products. Such properties
include: spreadability of butter and cheese spreads,
voluminous body of whipped cream, texture of cheese,
and creaminess of ice cream. Furthermore, the stabiliz-
ing effect provided by bulk crystallization of milk fat in
butter and the interfacial stabilization of partially coa-
lesced fat globules (in whipped cream and ice cream) is
also dependent on the high melting fraction of milk fat.
Because of the broad range of functionality provided by
milk fat, it is rather a challenge to replace high melting
milk fat with liquid oils without compromising on the
product attributes. If we exclude butter alternatives, the
literature on applications of fat mimetics in dairy pro-
ducts is scarce with only a handful of studies done on
dairy products such as ice cream [19,20] and cream
cheese [21]. Previously, in accordance with two separate
studies conducted by the same group, authors concluded
that wax-based gels had strong potential for replacing
milk fat in ice cream formulations [20]. In a recent
study, Moriano and Alamprese [19] developed ice cream
formulated using sterol-based oil gels as milk fat sub-
stitutes. The use of fat mimetics yielded ice creams with
comparable qualities to the standard samples containing
milk fat. In fact, reformulated ice creams outperformed
the standard ones with regards to some properties such as
overrun and melting starting point. Moreover, because of
the presence of phytosterols and phytostanols, the
authors proposed that such reformulated products could
carry a ‘with added plant sterols and stanols’ label
intended for people who want to lower their blood
cholesterol level.
For cream cheese products, rice bran wax and EC oleogels
were used to formulate (reduced fat) cream cheese
spreads with an aim of nutritionally enhancing the fatty
acid profile [21]. Results from microstructure analysis
suggested a successful incorporation of oleogels in the
formulation matrix resulting in a network structure and
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 Novel fat mimetics in foods 65

fat globule size which were similar to the control sample.
Texture evaluation revealed that test samples showed
comparable hardness, spreadability, and stickiness with
the full-fat cream cheese control. The samples were also
subjected to sensorial evaluation to compare the organo-
leptic properties with that of the full-fat control and the
results suggested that the palatability of test samples
could be improved to reduce its strong flavor and
bitterness.
Spreads and margarine products
Emulsified (fat-continuous) products such as table
spreads and margarines are formulated with varying levels
of fat depending on the applications. For instance, low
(35–42%wt) and very low-fat (<30%wt) spreads are
intended for ‘spreading-on-bread’ kind of applications,
while the high fat (70–82%wt) spreads are predominantly
used for cooking/frying applications. Solid fat plays three
key roles in these products, i) forms crystalline fat net-
work in the continuous oil phase to influence the structure
properties (i.e. firmness, texture, and spreadability); ii)
forms fine fat crystals that accumulate at water-oil inter-
faces and stabilize the dispersed water droplets; and iii)
contribute to the sensorial properties such as mouthfeel
and flavor release. Wax-based oil gels have been found to
replicate all or most of these roles and accordingly, they
have been the most widely investigated fat mimetic
in emulsified products such as spreads and margarines
[22–26]. However, there is still a need to resolve some
critical issues when reformulating margarines with wax-
based fat mimetics, these include: a) residual waxy taste
due to high melting points of waxes; b) low firmness due
to the absence of strain-hardening properties in wax gels;
and c) low long-term emulsion stability.
Meat products
Fat mimetics have been used in meat products for one of
the following reasons: a) reduction of animal fats and
cholesterol; b) improvement of the nutritional profile
(increasing the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids);
and c) lowering of the total calories [27]. Fat replacement
at different levels has been carried out in meat suspen-
sions (sauces, batters, and pastes) and processed meat
products (sausages, patties, and frankfurters) [28,29]. A
partial replacement of beef fat in frankfurters was carried
out by using EC oleogel as the fat mimetic [30]. Because
of the ability of the oleogel to match the fat globule size
distribution in the specific size range, the frankfurters
produced showed comparable hardness and chewiness to
the control. Recently, oil gels made from hydrophilic
polymers (through the foam templated approach) were
used to replace animal fat in cooked products such as
patties [31]. The highest overall acceptability was
obtained at a 50% replacement level leading to a
reduction in the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat
from 0.73 to 0.18, consequently producing nutritionally
superior patties.
Miscellaneous applications
In addition to saturated fat reduction, these days, fat
mimetics have been proposed as a matrix to alter food-
body interactions such as altering digestion, influencing
the physiological effects of oils, and enhancing the
delivery of hydrophobic bioactives and flavors.

Figure 4

0.25 45 p=0.013*
Time effects, p=0.002* #
0.20 Treatment effects, p=0.212 40
Changes in blood TG, mmol/L

Interaction effects, p=0.001* b

0.15
iAUC of TG, mmol/L min

35
·

0.10 30

0.05 25
a a
0.00 20

-0.05 15

-0.10 10
-0.15 5
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Time, minutes 0
Control Coconut oil Coconut
Control Coconut oil Coconut oleogel oleogel
Current Opinion in Food Science

Postprandial change in serum triacylglycerols. Serum triacylglycerol change following consumption of a carbohydrate-rich breakfast alone
(control), with coconut oil, or with coconut oleogel. Bar graph corresponds to the area under the curve for each of the treatments. Bars with
different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05). Figure adapted from Tan et al. (2017) [32].

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66 Food physics and materials science
For example, some unexpected effects of oleogels on
human health were recently reported, as shown in
Figure 4. In this study, coconut oleogels (prepared with
EC 45 cP) as well as plain coconut oil were fed to healthy
men as part of a breakfast meal. The characteristic peak in
serum triacylglycerols resulting from the consumption of
a high fat meal was almost eliminated when gelled oil was
ingested [32,33,34] (Figure 4). These results were in
agreement with parallel in-vitro work [35]. Effects similar
to these had previously been reported for structured
emulsions [36,37,38].
In a recently reported study, gelation of emulsified oil
delayed lipid digestion under in-vitro conditions [39]. An
oleogelation approach that finds a balance between oil
droplet rigidity and emulsion stability was found to be the
best at delaying lipolysis. Such a delay in lipolysis due to
gelation of oil can lead to physiological effects such as
hypolipidaemic and hypocholesterolaemic effects [24].
As delivery vehicles, fat mimetics such as oleogels can
offer multiple advantages such as i) providing stabiliza-
tion against recrystallization (due to the high solvency of
liquid oil) and preventing oxidation of oily bioactives; ii)
controlling and delaying the rate of release of the bioac-
tives; and iii) enhancing bioaccessibility/bioavailability of
bioactives because of direct micellization [40,41]. The
potential of oleogels for delivery of bioactives has already
been shown in a few studies involving b-carotene as the
model bioactive [35,42]. Fat mimetics were recently also
used as delivery systems to design microstructures that
offered a tunable release of flavor [43]. The promising
results from this study provide useful information for the
development of novel foods with improved flavor profiles.
Fat mimetics – natural and clean label
Concern over the naturalness of processed food products
has been expressed by both consumers and the regulatory
agencies as of late. Consequently, the market for clean-
label products has seen huge growth recently and is
expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.
However, there is no standard regulatory or legal defini-
tion for ‘clean-label’ and consumer perception of clean-
labels may differ from a food manufacturer’s working
definition. In general, clean-label products are associated
with the following concepts: i) all natural: no artificial
additives or ‘chemical-sounding’ ingredients; ii) simplic-
ity: minimally processed and consisting of a short list of
recognizable ingredients; and iii) transparency: sustain-
ably sourced ingredients.
Many of the components mentioned in this article that are
used to produce fat mimetics are completely natural, such
as proteins, partial glycerides, plant sterols, lecithin, toco-
pherols (e.g. vitamin E), and plant waxes or beeswax.
Others, such as locust bean gum and carrageenan are
sourced from seeds and seaweeds (natural materials).
Current Opinion in Food Science 2020, 33:61–68
Some of the chemical-sounding ingredients, such as
ethylcellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, are
derived from cellulose. As it is a naturally occurring plant
fiber and one of the most abundant materials in nature,
cellulose is a renewable resource that has a long history of
safe use. In fact, contrary to the message delivered by
popular media, the whole broad class of hydrocolloids are
ideal materials for clean-label product development
because of their natural and familiar origins. They are
obtained from natural sources such as tree exudates,
seeds, plant fragments, seaweed extracts, and microbial
fermentation. Hydrocolloids are among the most com-
monly used food ingredients and most of them are used in
their chemically unprocessed forms. Except for hydro-
lyzed proteins and chemically modified polysaccharides
(such as guar gum, cellulose, and starch), none of the
hydrocolloids appear on the ‘unacceptable ingredients’
list of major retailers (Whole Foods, Kroger, Aldi,
Trader Joe’s, and the like). Moreover, due to their
multi-functional nature, hydrocolloids can contribute to
the clean-label image of reformulated products by sim-
plifying ingredient lists.
Conclusion
The new generation of fat mimetics have effectively
demonstrated their functionality in numerous applica-
tions and since they fit into the clean-label positioning
they are a very attractive option for replacing solid fats in
food products. Plus, in addition to simply improving the
fatty acid profile of a food product, fat mimetics carry the
added benefits associated with an altered physiological
response when consumed and they can be used for the
delivery of lipid soluble bioactives. Briefly, wax-based
oleogels, polymer gels, and structured emulsions have
been successfully implemented in place of bakery fats.
Confectionary products have been stabilized using shel-
lac oleogels as well as cellulose derivatives. Ice cream has
been formulated using both wax-based and sterol-based
gels as milk fat substitutes, while rice bran wax and EC
oleogels have been investigated in cream cheese spreads.
There have been numerous applications in meat products
examined, using oleogels structured with wax, EC, hydro-
xypropyl methylcellulose, monoglycerides, and phytos-
terols. Thus far fat mimetics have been a successful
replacement strategy in multi-component food systems,
while they have fallen short in the high-fat system,
margarine. There have been difficulties in achieving
the appropriate mouthfeel, firmness, and long-term sta-
bility when wax-based oleogels have been used as the fat
phase in margarines and spreads. Moving forward, using
hybrid gelator systems to tailor the properties of the fat
mimetic for individual applications will be of great benefit
to high-fat food systems consumed in their original form
(i.e. margarine), as the properties of these food products
are entirely dependent on the mechanical and physical
properties of the fat mimetic. The use of large deforma-
tion testing procedures that examine the plastic flow
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behavior of the fat mimetics will be crucial for tailoring fat
systems such that they are made suitable for the required
food application.
Conflicts of interest statement
Nothing declared.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canada Research
Chairs (CRC) Program, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
(OMAF). All figures in this review were created by the graphic designer Ms.
Kyulim Moon (mongy@gmail.com), for which we are very grateful.
References and recommended reading
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13. Blake AI, Marangoni AG: Factors affecting the rheological
properties of a structured cellular solid used as a fat mimetic.
Food Res Int 2015, 74:284-293.
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Novel fat mimetics in foods 67
14. Stortz TA, De Moura DC, Laredo T, Marangoni AG: Molecular
 interactions of ethylcellulose with sucrose particles. RSC Adv
2014, 4:55048-55061.
This paper discusses the intricacies of the interaction between ethylcel-
lulose with sugar particles, glueing them together and thus inducing heat
resistance in chocolate.
15. Doan CD, Patel AR, Tavernier I, De Clercq N, Van Raemdonck K,
Van de Walle D, Delbaere C, Dewettinck K: The feasibility of wax-
based oleogel as a potential co-structurant with palm oil in
low-saturated fat confectionery fillings. Eur J Lipid Sci Technol
2016, 118:1903-1914.
16. Tanti R, Barbut S, Marangoni AG: Oil stabilization of natural
peanut butter using food grade polymers. Food Hydrocolloid
2016, 61:399-408.
17. Tanti R, Barbut S, Marangoni AG: Hydroxypropyl
methylcellulose and methylcellulose structured oil as a
replacement for shortening in sandwich cookie creams. Food
Hydrocolloid 2016, 61:329-337.
18. Stortz TA, Marangoni AG: Ethylcellulose solvent substitution
method of preparing heat resistant chocolate. Food Res Int
2013, 51:797-803.
19. Moriano ME, Alamprese C: Organogels as novel ingredients for
low saturated fat ice creams. LWT 2017, 86:371-376.
20. Zulim Botega DC, Marangoni AG, Smith AK, Goff HD: The
 potential application of rice bran wax oleogel to replace solid
fat and enhance unsaturated fat content in ice cream. J Food
Sci 2013, 78:C1334-C1339.
This work is to date the only paper that reports the use of an oleogel in ice
cream.
21. Bemer HL, Limbaugh M, Cramer ED, Harper WJ, Maleky F:
Vegetable organogels incorporation in cream cheese
products. Food Res Int 2016, 85:67-75.
22. Patel AR, Schatteman D, De Vos WH, Dewettinck K: Shellac as a
natural material to structure a liquid oil-based thermo
reversible soft matter system. RSC Adv 2013, 3:5324-5327.
23. Hwang H-S, Singh M, Bakota EL, Winkler-Moser JK, Kim S, Liu SX:
Margarine from organogels of plant wax and soybean oil. J Am
Oil Chem Soc 2013, 90:1705-1712.
24. Limpimwong W, Kumrungsee T, Kato N, Yanaka N, Thongngam M:
Rice bran wax oleogel: a potential margarine replacement and
its digestibility effect in rats fed a high-fat diet. J Funct Foods
2017, 39:250-256.
25. Patel AR, Schatteman D, De Vos WH, Lesaffer A, Dewettinck K:
Preparation and rheological characterization of shellac
oleogels and oleogel-based emulsions. J Colloid Interface Sci
2013, 411:114-121.
26. da Silva TLT, Chaves KF, Fernandes GD, Rodrigues JB,
Bolini HMA, Arellano DB: Sensory and technological evaluation
of margarines with reduced saturated fatty acid contents
using oleogel technology. J Am Oil Chem Soc 2018, 95:673-685.
27. Jimenez-Colmenero F, Salcedo-Sandoval L, Bou R, Cofrades S,
Herrero AM, Ruiz-Capillas C: Novel applications of oil-
structuring methods as a strategy to improve the fat content of
meat products. Trends Food Sci Technol 2015, 44:177-188.
28. Wolfer TL, Acevedo NC, Prusa KJ, Sebranek JG, Tarté R:
Replacement of pork fat in frankfurter-type sausages by
soybean oil oleogels structured with rice bran wax. Meat Sci
2018, 145:352-362.
29. Kouzounis D, Lazaridou A, Katsanidis E: Partial replacement of
animal fat by oleogels structured with monoglycerides and
phytosterols in frankfurter sausages. Meat Sci 2017, 130:38-46.
30. Zetzl AK, Marangoni AG, Barbut S: Mechanical properties of
ethylcellulose oleogels and their potential for saturated fat
reduction in frankfurters. Food Funct 2012, 3:327-337.
31. Oh I, Lee J, Lee HG, Lee S: Feasibility of hydroxypropyl
methylcellulose oleogel as an animal fat replacer for meat
patties. Food Res Int 2019, 122:566-572.
32. Tan SY, Peh E, Marangoni AG, Henry CJ: Effects of liquid oil vs.
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Current Opinion in Food Science 2020, 33:61–68
68 Food physics and materials science
blood triglycerides, glucose, insulin and appetite. Food Funct
2017, 8:241-249.
This is the first human trial in the literature on the induced decrease in
bioaccessibility of a major macronutrient, oil in this case, due to oleogela-
tion with ethylcellulose. The postprandial decrease in serum TAG levels is
usually correlated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
33. Tan SY, Peh E, Lau E, Marangoni AG, Henry CJ: Physical form of
dietary fat alters postprandial substrate utilization and
glycemic response in healthy Chinese men. J Nutr 2017,
147:1138-1144.
34. Tan SY, Peh E, Ching Siow P, Marangoni AG, Henry CJ: Effects of
the physical-form and the degree-of-saturation of oil on
postprandial plasma triglycerides, glycemia and appetite of
healthy Chinese adults. Food Funct 2017, 8:4433-4440.
35. O’Sullivan C, Barbut S, Marangoni AG: Ethylcellulose oleogels
for lipophilic bioactive delivery- effect of oleogelation on in-
vitro bioaccessibility and stability of beta-carotene. Food
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36. Marangoni AG, Idziak SHJ, Vega C, Batte H, Ollivon M, Jantzi PS,
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This is the first report on the decreased bioaccessibility of oil due to
encapsulation within a structured emulsion in humans.
37. Rush JWE, Jantzi PS, Dupak K, Idziak SHJ, Marangoni AG: Effect
of food preparation on the structure and metabolic responses
Current Opinion in Food Science 2020, 33:61–68
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2008, 41:1065-1071.
38. Rush JWE, Jantzi PS, Dupak K, Idziak SHJ, Marangoni AG: Acute
metabolic responses to butter, margarine, and a novel fat-
based spread. Food Res Int 2009, 42:1034-1039.
39. Guo Q, Wijarnprecha K, Sonwai S, Rousseau D: Oleogelation of
emulsified oil delays in vitro intestinal lipid digestion. Food Res
Int 2019, 119:805-812.
40. O’Sullivan CM, Barbut S, Marangoni AG: Edible oleogels for the
oral delivery of lipid soluble molecules: composition and
structural design considerations. Trends Food Sci Technol
2016, 57:59-73.
41. Patel AR: Functional and engineered colloids from edible
materials for emerging applications in designing the food of
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42. Martins AJ, Cerqueira MA, Cunha RL, Vicente AA: Fortified
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Tunable volatile release from organogel-emulsions based on
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