Cornell University food scientists have created a new
low-calorie 'butter' spread that consists mostly of water. A tablespoon of this
low-calorie spread has 2.8 grams of fat and 25.2 calories. Butter, on the other
hand, which is 84% fat and about 16% water, has about 11 grams of fat and
nearly 100 calories.
They figured out a new process to emulsify a large
amount of water with miniscule drops of vegetable oil and milk fat to mimic
butter, at approximately one-fourth the calories of real butter and without
artificial stabilizers.
"Imagine 80% water in 20% oil and we create
something with the consistency of butter, with the mouth feel of butter and
creaminess of butter," said food science professor and senior author
Alireza Abbaspourrad.
Emulsifying water and oil is nothing new, said
Abbaspourrad, but by using high-internal phase emulsions (HIPE), "we keep
adding water to that oil until the final composition is 80% water and 20%
oil."
The demand for low-fat, high-protein products has
rapidly increased due to consumers' growing health awareness, said lead author
Michelle C. Lee, a doctoral candidate in Abbaspourrad's research group.
"Since the HIPE technology features high
water-to-oil ratios -- while simultaneously delivering unique texture and
functionality -- it can play a role in providing healthier solutions for
consumers," Lee said.
Abbaspourrad said food chemists can adjust for taste,
preferences and health.
"We can add milk protein or plant-based protein,
and since the water acts like a carrier, we can adjust for nutrition and load
it with vitamins or add flavors," he said. "Essentially, we can
create something that makes it feel like butter -- and instead of seeing a lot
of saturated fat, this has minute amounts. It's a completely different
formulation."
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