Culinology - December 2020 - 23

animal-based counterparts as they transition
from a " raw " to a cooked state.
" Achieving the proper appearance and
texture in the raw product can be particularly
challenging, " said Andrea Weis, customer
innovations applications specialist with AAK.
" Using application-specific fat blends can
help to impart critical attributes that make the
plant-based product look and feel more like
conventional meat. "

A 'clean' perception
Consumer interest in clean label and
transparency continues, but the definition
has evolved.
" Clean label has always been a moving
target, without a clear definition, " Ms. Mavec
said. " Early on, clean label focused on
simplicity, with an eye toward recognizable
ingredients and short, easy-to-understand
ingredient lists. Today, however, the clean
label trend has morphed to encompass much
more, reflecting a shift by some consumers
toward a lifestyle that supports healthier
eating for both people and the planet. "
Even as food and beverage companies
have gone to great lengths to clean up labels
avoiding the inclusion of ingredients perceived
as artificial, consumers continue to seek
products perceived as natural. The " natural "
label claim remains the most influential both
when shopping and when purchasing food
prepared outside the home, according to
the International Food Information Council
Foundation's 2020 Food & Health Survey.
Natural is a more widely sought claim than
non-GMO, organic, locally sourced, clean
ingredients and sustainably sourced by a
significant margin.
" With respect to fats and oils, the terms
clean and natural can mean ingredients that
are not hydrogenated, contain no synthetic
antioxidants and no synthetic emulsifiers, and
are derived from non-GMO source oils, " said
Jeff Fine, customer innovations team oils and
fats adviser with AAK.
Earlier this year, Epogee LLC, Indianapolis,
introduced an alternative fat called EPG
(esterified propoxylated glycerol), which has
been shown to reduce calories by up to
45% without compromising taste, texture or
functionality, according to the company. EPG
is a solid alternative fat that is not broken
down during digestion so the fat calories

The " natural " label claim remains the most influential both when
shopping and when purchasing food prepared outside the home,
according to the International Food Information Council Foundation.
are not absorbed by the body. It works as a
one-to-one replacement for fat, and, while fat
normally has 9 calories per gram, EPG has
0.7 calories per gram.
" Although there is no concrete definition of
what makes a 'clean label,' there is a trend
among consumers to seek out products with
natural or unprocessed ingredients, " said
Sarah Malenich, senior director of marketing
for Epogee. " Some consumer groups are
pushing for labels that list ingredients that
are easy to recognize and pronounce. Others
are looking for a short list of ingredients. EPG
permits the elimination of many ingredients
like starches, gums, binders, preservatives
and flavor enhancers currently used in
low-fat and low-calorie foods, so we think
our ingredient can be viewed as a very
clean label ingredient. EPG is labeled in the
ingredient statement as: EPG (Modified PlantBased Oil). "
The challenge facing many product
developers is understanding what tools
are available to help them reach their clean
label goals.
" We offer a line of plant extracts to help
consumers meet their product goals for clean
label and natural, " said Chandra Ankolekar,
technical manager for baking, dressings
and oils for Kemin Industries, Des Moines,
Iowa. " We work with customers one-on-one
DECEMBER 2020 | Culinology |

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Culinology - December 2020

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