Microencapsulated ingredient as a solution in the food industry for substitution of trans fat

• Grant number: 16/15335-6
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: February 01, 2018
• End date: January 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Cristina Chiarinelli Nucci Mascarenhas
• Grantee: Maria Cristina Chiarinelli Nucci Mascarenhas
• Company: Noviga Partner Consultoria e Planejamento Financeiro Ltda. - ME
• City: Campinas
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/06082-2 - Microencapsulated ingredient as a solution in the food industry for substitution of trans fat, BP.PIPE

Abstract

For a long time, trans fat was a viable and the best solution for the food industry; however it has been banned from the market because of its negative effects on human health. Thus the development of products such in bakery, confectionary, ice cream, margarine have been experience various difficulties in order to obtain the same physical characteristics as they had with trans fat. There is a great challenge to deliver a product in the same consumer perception (appearance, taste and texture), stability and production process efficiency. In such scenario, in which consumers seek for healthiness, agencies bane trans fat, and the industry need to keep or reduce costs in the same quality is the base of this project. Therefore, an innovative ingredient, based on nanotechnology made of microparticles of fat crystals, was developed to be added in trans free fats taking them to the same desired physical characteristics of trans fat. The ingredient powder form makes it easy to handle and apply in industry process. Preliminary tests have showed that this ingredient production is feasible and its effects in the trans free fat structure are confirmed, as described in the IP process BR1020140279997. However there are still scientific challenges to overcome in order to make the ingredient marketable. The three key points of this feasibility project are: (a) find an effective and productive production form for the ingredient, (b) certify different raw material and suppliers available in the market for production and (c) guarantee that the final products (bakery, margarine, ice cream) obtained using the ingredient have the same consumer sensorial perception as the original ones. Based on this three points several tests are required to simulate production (process and materials) as well as the application in final products, that will be done in third parties or internally upon the viability. Hence, at this phase of the project the expected results are: feasibility proof of mass production using different raw material and the success application in final products (sensorial characteristics approved by consumers). Once these results are confirmed, the next step into the success of product commercialization becomes significantly high due to its unique value proposition. The company is a startup that is being constituted based on the microcapsule ingredient IP. Its organizational structure is lean, composed of three key persons - one is the PhD responsible for the IP, the other is a PhD expert in production process and the third one a MSc and executive of marketing and sales. The company was already awarded with the 3rd place in the 2015 INOVA IP Business Cases Challenge. (AU)