Reduced calorie food compositions containing fatty acid-esterified polytetramethylene ether glycol fat substitutes

Reference Number: N 04-04

Inventors: Cooper, Charles F.; Harper, Stephen D.

Owner: NISTAC

USPTO Link: 5376398

Invention Summary

We have now found that polytetramethylene ether glycols esterified with fatty acids are useful as low calorie fat substitutes and mimetics, contrary to earlier expectations. Despite the fact that such substances predominantly or exclusively contain primary rather than secondary or tertiary ester linkages, they have substantially reduced caloric content relative to natural fats and oils. As compared to esterified epoxide-extended polyols prepared using propylene oxide, the fat substitutes used in the composition of this invention have improved oxidative and thermal stability and may be more readily obtained in solid or partially solid form.

This invention provides a fat component useful for preparing a reduced calorie food product wherein said fat component comprises an edible triglyceride and a polytetramethylene ether glycol esterified with a fatty acid entity. Also provided is a reduced calorie food product comprised of at least one non-fat ingredient and a fat component wherein such fat component comprises, in whole or in part, a polytetramethylene ether glycol esterified with a fatty acid entity. Also furnished by this invention is a method of reducing calories in a food product comprised of a fat component, where the method comprises replacing an effective portion of the fat component with a polytetramethylene ether glycol esterified with a fatty acid entity.