Self Structuring Food

About

What is the problem? Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in much of the developed world, although lower energy versions of many foods have been produced and  advice given on healthy eating consumers seem unwilling to compromise in any way. Research has shown that another way satisfying appetite is through consumption of soft or liquid foods that restructure in the stomach into gels.  However observations made using alginates have shown that only a limited gellation occurs. Our new Solution? A formulation containing gellan gums which are readily gellable at stomach pH. Benefits of the new technology Gellan is already approved for use in food manufacture, can be co formulated with other food grade hydrocolloids such as alginate or  pectin, allows incorporation of slow release nutrients. Background Gellan gums are polymers of a tetrasaccharide which consists of two residues of D-glucose and one of each residue of L-rhamnose and D-glucuronic acid. The gum is a naturally occurring capsular polysaccharide produced by a bacterium, Sphingomonas elodea. It is available in two forms: the native or high acyl (HA) form which comprises two acyl substituents, acetate and glycerate. Both substituents are located on the same glucose residue and, on average, there is one glycerate per repeat unit and one acetate per every two repeat units. A second, low acyl (LA) form is commercially available. The acyl groups have been removed to produce a linear repeat unit substantially lacking in both groups. Low acyl gellan gums are particularly advantageous because they are gellable in the presence of an acid. The stomach contents of the typical person are highly acidic Accordingly, the acidic content of the stomach can be used to gel the gellan gum. This means that products containing the gum can be provided as, for example, liquid or soft food form, which is more palatable to consumers, and then will gel in situ within the stomach.