Utah State University

Awards Issued Prior to January 20, 2025, Were Funded Under Previous Administrations and May Not Reflect the Priorities and Policies of the Current Administration. When Healthy Semi-solid Fats Are Incorporated in Food Products They Tend to Loose Oil and Cause Quality Problems in the Food. for Example, Natural Peanut Butters Usually Have a Layer of Oil on Top of the Jar That Has Separated Out of the Product. This Is Usually Referred to as Oil Loss and the Capacity of the Food to Retain That Oil Is Called Oil Binding Capacity. Food Companies Have the Challenge to Maximize the Oil Binding Capacity of Foods and Therefore Reduce Oil Loss. However, Very Little Information Is Available to Understand Why, How, and When Oil Loss Occurs. This Study Will Formulate Various Fat Systems and Will Evaluate How the Characteristics of These Fat Systems Affect Oil Loss or Oil Binding Capacity. We Expect That Results From This Study Will Help Food Producers Optimize Their Products to Improve Their Oil Binding Capacity and Increase Their Quality.