Development of a dietary fiber gel for calorie-reduced foods

Development and properties of a new generation fat replacer based on fibre gels are described. The product (called Z-Trim due to its zero calorie value) provides an aqueous gel fibre structure without taste and imparts a smooth texture to foods such as hamburgers, delicatessen meats, cheeses and baked foods. The aqueous gel fibres are obtained from dietary fibre by complete disintegration of their cellular structure using a multistage alkaline shear process. The product can be used to obtain large reductions in calories as well as providing a source of dietary fibre.