Development of an Atomization-Based Process for Powdered Structuring Lipids in the Food Industry

• Grant number: 25/06552-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: May 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Gabriela Alves Macedo
• Grantee: Matheus Augusto Silva Roman
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/07015-7 - PBIS - Integrated Biotechnological Platform of Healthy Ingredients, AP.NPOP

Abstract

This research project is linked to the Biotechnology Platform I (PBI), part of the Integrated Biotechnology Platform for Healthy Ingredients (NPOP-PBIS), FAPESP process no. 2020/07015-7. It aims to develop new low-calorie lipid ingredients and validate their application in food matrices. Given the need to offer healthier products to the population, PBI has been working to develop structured lipids with beneficial anti-obesogenic nutritional properties. Studies conducted by the research group with mice indicated low absorption during the digestion of lipids rich in behenic acid, positioning them as high-value ingredients of interest to the industry. The synthesis and application of these structuring lipids, such as in spreads and sandwich cookie fillings, led the group to file a patent. Furthermore, it was found that these fats exhibit variable physicochemical characteristics depending on the proportion of long-chain saturated fatty acids, making them suitable for validation in other applications as structuring agents for different food matrices. Among the industrial applications, powdered fats are particularly relevant for use in baking. Spray drying is one of the techniques employed by the industry to produce these powdered ingredients; however, it requires prior steps and the addition of emulsifiers for the ingredient formulation. In this context, this research aims to evaluate the technical feasibility of using Spray Chilling technology to obtain powdered structured lipids. To achieve this, new anti-obesogenic structured lipids will be developed through chemical and enzymatic interesterification with varying concentrations of saturated fatty acids and proportions of vegetable oils. This process aims to yield powdered structuring fats for use in food product formulations.