Functionality and application of emulsion gels in fat replacement strategies for dairy products

Background: Despite their continued popularity and wide consumption, high-fat content of traditional dairy products can pose serious health concerns for consumers. It is becoming increasingly evident that low-fat dairy products are gaining popularity due to their perceived health benefits. However, low fat content significantly affects the texture, organoleptic properties, smooth mouthfeel, appearance and stability of dairy products, that can lead to the issues such as whey precipitation, increased roughness and less stable structure. These issues can be resolved by substituting ingredients and employing advanced processing technology. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a fat substitute with reduced fat content without compromising sensory properties and overall quality. Emulsion gels have attracted significant attention as a fat substitute in dairy products. Scope and approach: This paper reviews traditional methods for replacing saturated fats in dairy products to better understand recent strategies. It provides an overview of emulsion gels, their formation, mechanisms, classification, and their application in dairy products. Key findings and conclusions: Various studies have shown that emulsion gels are ideal fat replacers for dairy products and are widely used in dairy applications. Proteoglycan-based emulsion gels are a promising trend for the dairy sector in the future because of their ability to enhance the sensory attributes of low-fat products as well as providing health benefits Future research should primarily focus on the improvement in developing the relevant technologies for the production and modification of fat substitutes, as well as improving their stability. This paper aims to provide perspectives on the development of low-fat dairy products and establish a theoretical basis for future research.