Elsevier Improving the Fat Content of Foods (Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition)

Dietary fats have long been recognised as having a major impact on health, negative in the case of consumers' excessive intake of saturated fatty acids, positive in the case of increasing consumers' intake of long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, progress in ensuring that consumers achieve a nutritionally-optimal fat intake has been slow. This important book reviews the range of steps needed to improve the fat content of foods whilst maintaining sensory quality. Key Features: reviews the influence of dietary fats on health; investigates practical strategies for improving the fat content of food products; discusses improving the fat content of foods whilst maintaining sensory quality; written by a distinguished editor and international team of contributors. Contents: Part 1 Dietary fats and health: Health problems associated with saturated fatty acid intake; Dietary fatty acids, insulin resistance and diabetes; Lipid gene interactions, diet and health; Health benefits of monounsaturated fatty acids; Health benefits of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); Dietary fat and obesity; Specific fatty acids and structured lipids for weight control; Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) and health. Part 2 Reducing saturated fatty acids in food: The role of lipids in food quality; Gaining consumer acceptance of low-fat foods; Optimising dairy milk fatty acid composition; Optimising goat milk and cheese fatty acid composition; Reducing fats in raw meat; Producing low-fat meat products; The use of fat replacers for weight loss and control; Testing novel fat replacers for weight control. Part 3 Using polyunsaturated and other modified fatty acids in food products: Developing products with modified fats; Using polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as functional ingredients; New marine sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); Producing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from plant sources; Modifying hydrogenated fats; Novel fats for the future. From the Back Cover As health problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes increase in many developed and developing countries, the food industry has come under mounting pressure to improve the nutritional quality of its products. Particular attention has focused on the health problems associated with saturated fats in food and on the potential health benefits of increasing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat content. Summarising key research in this field, this important collection reviews both the influence of dietary fats on health and practical strategies for improving the fat content of food products. Part 1 reviews the evidence on the links between dietary fats and health. There are chapters on the links between saturated fatty acid intake, obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes and cancer, as well as the health benefits of monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs). Part 2 then discusses ways of reducing saturated fatty acids in food. It includes chapters on the role of lipids on food quality and ways of gaining consumer acceptance of low-fat foods, as well as chapters on improving fatty acid composition in dairy products and milk and the use of fat replacers. The final part of the book reviews ways of using polyunsaturated and other modified fatty acids in food products. It includes chapters on developing and using PUFAs as functional ingredients and ways of improving the sensory quality of products incorporating modified fats. With its distinguished editors and international team of contributors, Improving the fat content of foods is a standard reference for nutritionists and product developers in the food industry. About the Author Professor Christine Williams is Hugh Sinclair Professor of Human Nutrition and Head of the School of Food Biosciences at the University of Reading, UK. Dr Judith Buttriss is Science Director of the British Nutrition Foundation.