Calcium and pH key to tastier low-fat foods?

For some consumers, the words ‘reduced fat’ mean ‘reduced flavour’. Researchers think they may have finally found way to create better-tasting, creamier and more visually appealing reduced-fat sauces, desserts and salad dressings by adjusting acidity and calcium levels.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst were able to reduce the fat content of a model white sauce from 10 to 2% without affecting the look and feel of the sauce.

“By controlling pH and calcium content, we are able to regulate the interactions among fat droplets,” said Bicheng Wu, a graduate student involved in the study.

“This makes them stick together and form flocs, or clumps. We believe the water trapped inside these flocs makes the sauce seem fattier than it really is and preserves the look, feel and flavour.

“Fat carries flavours, so cutting the fat content lessens the intensity of the flavour. The appearance - meaning the opacity or lightness - of a food mixture largely depends on light scattering by fat droplets, so high fat content gives a milky appearance to a sauce or dressing.”

The high fat content of many products delivers a thick, smooth, creamy feeling in the mouth, due to the effect of fat droplets on how the liquid flows.

Besides taste, satiety is also affected when the fat content is reduced. The high calorie count of fat and the way the body digests it affects the feeling of satiety, says D Julian McClements, PhD, who led the research team.

The team has reported success with its method of adjusting pH and calcium levels, Wu says. “Often we see people reacting to the texture of our low-fat sauce sample even before they taste it. They say, ‘Wow! No way it’s only 2% fat. It looks like custard! Can I try it?’” Wu said.

The team plans to conduct extensive taste and smell tests in the near future, McClements says.

“Then we will be able to adjust the composition and incorporate other seasoning ingredients into the foods. Since this fat reduction is easy for us now, and the fact that our new products contain healthy ingredients that can be used in a wide range of products, means there’s great potential to reach the market in the near future,” McClements said.

The researchers delivered a presentation about the study at the 247th National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Dallas. The study was supported by ConAgra Foods.