Alternative fat replacer recognized by FDA
Ingredient producer Epogee has a new alternative fat replacer that can be used in private label foods and it has achieved expanded approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
The alternative fat is called EPG and earned the FDA's Generally Recognized as Safe, or GRAS, status for a host of new product categories. EPG is a GMO-free, modified plant-based oil that allows food and beverage manufacturers to reduce calories while keeping taste and texture intact, according to Indianapolis-based Epogee.
The new categories that the GRAS-approved ingredient can be used in are snacks like potato chips, corn-based savory snacks and chicken nuggets, plant-based protein products, beverages and beverage bases, coffee and tea, and dairy product analogs.
The company said EPG is the first of its kind on the market and can reduce 92% of calories from fat for each unit of fat replaced and reduce total calories by as much as 45%.
EPG had previously been recognized as GRAS for use in confections and bars, baked goods and mixes, frozen dairy and desserts, spreads/dips/gravies and sauces, peanut and nut butters, grain products and pasta, and frying applications.
“We are very pleased EPG has been recognized as a safe ingredient for use in additional food and beverage categories,” said David Rowe, founder and chief technology officer, Epogee. “Made from natural, GMO-free vegetable oil, EPG is the first and only fat alternative of its kind on the market. We are teaming up with food and beverage innovators as we work to fight obesity and improve the health of society. Now a new generation of great-tasting products will allow consumers to enjoy their favorite foods without all of the fat. Manufacturers are seeing exciting results and achieving a richer, more complex flavor palate with satisfying mouthfeel in food and beverages that include EPG.”