ABSTRACT
There are two seemingly contradictory trends spanning Western societies. One dietary trend is the increasing consumption of sugars, fats, and calories recorded in recent decades; a contrasting trend is the growing awareness shown by consumers of anything related to personal physical appearance, fitness, and health issues. Of the top ten mortality rates in the ranking of leading causes of death, five are diet related (heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and atherosclerosis). As a result, and thanks also to the dietary recommendations made by health-care professionals and much information presented by the media-albeit not always reliable-a marked increase in the consumption of low-calorie, low-fat, and sugar-free products has taken place (Figure 12.1). Cakes, cookies, and a number of yeast-raised bakery products account for a substantial proportion of the fat and sugar intake. Hence, the development of special dietary foods (low-calorie, low-fat, and sugar-free foods) with good organoleptic properties should enable manufacturers to diversify their production and make inroads into an emergent sector of the market. Development of such special products can help implement and maintain specific diets, particularly if available to consumers when eating out away from home (Sigman-Grant, 1997).
