Very low fat spreads

Chronakis, I.S., Kasapis, S. (1995). Preparation and analysis of water-continuous very low fat spreads. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologie, 28,488 194. 

In this context, the Morinaga Milk Industry (Japan) developed and commercialized a very low fat spread using membrane emulsification technology [59, 60]. The advantages in the production of low-fat spreads made the process one of the first... 

Very low-fat spreads have recently been developed. The first European commercialized product was made by St. Ivel and is called St. Ivel s Lowest. It contains 25% butter fat and has a lower saturated fat content than sunflower margarine (129). 

Low-fat spreads with 40% fat content and containing protein usually have a shelf life of 8-10 weeks and water-based low-fat spreads of about 4 months based on storage at temperatures below 10°C (50°F) (90) (see Section 5.1). Very low fat spreads with fat contents below 20% and with a water continuous emulsion character require low pH, ultra high temperature processing, and possibly aseptic filling procedures to allow closed shelf lives comparable to conventional low-fat spreads (91). 

The trend in margarine and spread production is towards reduction in overall fat content of the product. Spreads are predominantly water in oil (w/o) emulsions although some very low fat spreads could be considered as oil in water (o/w) emulsions. 

Powerful w/o emulsifiers such as polyglycerol polyricineolate gives stability in noncrystalline systems, such as warm emulsions, which are important in low fat spread production particularly for very low fat spreads of 20 to 25% fat content. 

Low-fat spreads, puff pastry margarine, and puff pastry butter are all very interesting products from an equipment and processing point of view as they require processing techniques that are quite different from those used in the processing of conventional retail margarine. 

You have a so-called low-fat spread, i.e., a system containing about equal volumes of triglycerides and an aqueous phase. The system is not a liquid, but it is spreadable. Can you think of a very simple way to find out whether it is oil or water continuous ... 

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