Prof. Amber CHIOU Jiachi, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Future Food (RiFood), Associate Head and Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, and Dr Gail CHANG Jinhui, Research Assistant Professor in the same department and Member of RiFood, were featured on HOY TV’s programme “InnoAction”, where they introduced AkkMore™, a novel fungus-based fat replacer developed by their research team.
Dr Chang explained, “Mushrooms have a very low fat content, typically only 0.5% to 3%. Our primary focus is on high-fat foods, and we are trialling the use of AkkMore™ in biscuits. This fat replacer can reduce the fat content in biscuits by half, and in cream cakes and similar products, it can reduce fat by 25%. It is user-friendly and suitable for any factory or home kitchen; simply add the powder during food preparation process.”
Prof. Chiou added, “AkkMore™ can help reduce calorie intake. Furthermore, it can promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut. In our experiments on mice, we observed that obese mice exhibited anxiety symptoms showed alleviation of symptoms after consuming our formula. Their overall health also improved notably, with better control of blood sugar and lipid levels.”
The two researchers noted that some fat substitutes currently available on the market may not be easily accepted by consumers due to factors such as their ingredients and taste. They will continue to research this mushroom-derived fat substitute, with the aim of bringing more innovative and healthy foods to consumers.
Given that novel foods are expected to become a major trend in the future food market, Prof. Kevin KWOK, also Associate Director of RiFood, Associate Head and Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, commented during the interview that whether new regulations are needed for such foods depends on their ingredient composition and production methods.
Online coverage:
(14:58-17:13 and 20:48-22:55) (Chinese only)
| Research Units | Research Institute for Future Food |
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