INFORM September 2024

EDITOR’S LETTER

inform September 2024, Vol. 35 (8) • 5

New fats

In recent years, with increased consumer awareness about the relationship between excess fat intake and chronic disease, the research of many AOCS members has focused on how to replace these less healthy fats. Our members also study ways to offer an alterna tive fat to consumers who do not eat animal by-products. And of course, some are working on solutions that address both types of fat replacement problems. This issue of INFORM covers stories about the latest science to develop high-quality fat replacements. It is still a technical challenge to completely simulate the enjoyment we experience eating natural fat in foods. Fat is a critical component of our eating experience. Simply reducing the fat content of a food causes changes in its physical, chem ical, physiological and sensory properties. In our cover story, we

“Discover the latest techniques they are using to mimic solid fats with healthier and more sustainable plant-based oil substitutes.”

mealworms and black soldier fly larva. The authors discuss how these unexpected sources of food lipids can be sustain ably raised and represent a new source of fats consumers should consider. Finally, we have a story on a groundbreaking pilot study led by a team at Stanford University Medical School. This study reveals the promising effects of a ketogenic diet on severe mental illness. The small clinical trial found that a ketogenic diet can restore metabolic health in patients with mental ill ness, significantly improving their psychiatric condition. The implications of these findings could be far-reaching, offer ing new hope for individuals struggling with these debilitating conditions. We hope these stories provide valuable insights into the remarkable advancements in food science particularly for those of you whose job function is outside of this field. Thank you for reading, and we look forward to sharing more of every thing that AOCS has to offer in our next issue.

explore the fascinating world of plant-based fat replacements for alternative meats. Crafting a plant-based burger that rivals the sensory experience of a tra ditional beef patty is no small feat. Our feature article delves into the ingenuity of food scien tists who are at the forefront of this challenge. Discover the lat est techniques they are using to

mimic solid fats with healthier and more sustainable plant based oil substitutes. Their innovations promise to redefine our culinary expectations. Our next feature takes an in-depth look at capillary net works in edible oleogels. These unique formations could alter how we achieve specific functional properties in various food applications. Learn how particles suspended in water or oil can create soft materials with adjustable capillary networks, offering new possibilities for texture and stability in our favorite foods. Then we consider a unique source of edible oils, insects. Our third feature is an excerpt from a review article recently published in the Journal of the America Oil Chemists’ Society . The article reports on the lipid composition of insects like

Yours in science,