University of Guelph food scientists have made a discovery that could lead to a healthier, more affordable and more sustainable substitute for palm oil.
University of Guelph food scientists have made a discovery that could lead to a healthier, more affordable and more sustainable substitute for palm oil.
Published in Nature Food, this study is the first to demonstrate the use of enzymatic glycerolysis (EG) for turning liquid vegetable oils into solid fats – a critical transformation behind a range of widely consumed foods but one that until now has meant trading off health and environmental benefits.
The research was featured in the Toronto Star.
Already employed to make food ingredients, EG uses enzymes to break down fats into smaller units. Testing cottonseed and peanut oils to make margarine and peanut butter, Prof. Alejandro Marangoni and PhD student Reed Nicholson were able to produce solid fats with textural and structural properties desired by consumers.
“This innovation may revolutionize production of numerous foods from baked goods to increasingly popular plant-based meat alternatives while offering a heart-healthy improvement over the use of saturated fats,” said Marangoni.
Continue reading at University of Guelph.
Image via University of Guelph.
