A brief post. The August 2011 edition of Chemistry World carries an interesting article about the use of edible colloids as an alternative way of reducing the fat in foods (full-text here). I don't want to get into any debate about whether dietary fat is good or bad because (a) I don't know enough about it and (b) it is not the main aim of this post.
Being Chemistry World, the text is quite heavily chemistry-orientated but I was quite interested in some of the various ways that chemistry is approaching the issue of fat in food and our modern-day obsession with diet and fat reduction. The article lists a few interesting possibilities under investigation. Things like the incorporation of gel-coated air bubbles into foods behaving like fat droplets in the mouth, and the addition of emulsions to food which survive our stomach and areas of our gastrointestinal (GI) tract to make us feel fuller for longer. I know some people might gasp in horror as chemistry contemplates toying with our foods, and obviously a lot more research and investment needs to go into such areas. Having said that hands up if your diet solely consists of food which has not been manipulated in one way or another already?
All of these options must be better than the 'no food diet'?
I am fascinated and intrigued by technology being applied to our foods. My natural instinct is to think of Monsanto and all the terrible things they have brought about. On the other hand I would be lying if I said I don't look forward to a time of eating perfect nutrition be it via modified food macros, a pill or some other form that has replaced food.
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