ABSTRACT
T he introduction o f protein-based fat mimetic ingredients in the late 1980s is considered by some to be a breakthrough in food-processing technology which revolutionized the category of reduced-fat and fatfree foods. Prior to that time, the food industry took an increm ental approach to fat reduction, and the m arketplace saw the introduction o f many light products, which were one quarte r to one half reduced in fat. Very few fat-free versions were introduced or even in developm ent because o f a belief that lipid-based fat substitutes were needed for these products. Protein-based fat mimetics broke that paradigm . T he creative b reakthrough brought about by protein-based fat mimetics opened up lower-fat food product developm ent to a variety of water-based fatreplacem ent technologies. T he flood gates were open for fat-free p ro d ucts to pour into the m arketplace.
