Question

How does a fat replacer work? Can enzymes not break them down?

Answer 1

Fat replacers are further known as fat substitutes or fat mimetics. These are found in foods like baked goods, sour cream, yogurt, cheese etc. These fat replacers are known to replicate the functions, physical stability and chemical characteristics of regular fat present in food. These replacers usually contain very less or no energy compared to the fat normally present in a food product. Hence, they have fewer calories compared to regular fat. These replacers are made using triglycerides in vegetable oils. Caprenin, salatrim and olestra are some examples of fat replacers. The main application of these fat replacers is to produce low-calorie and low-fat food products. An ideal fat replacers tastes and appears like regular fat, contains fewer calories and has no health risks.

Certain fat replacers are heat stable at both cooking and frying temperature. Hence, some of these fat replacers cannot be broken by the action of digestive enzymes like lipases and cannot be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract as well. Hence, digestive enzymes cannot break down all the fat replacers.