Initial tests published in the Journal of Food Science have shown that foods coated with the product when baked have the taste, texture and appearance of fried foods, but about 60% less fat.
Healthier alternative
The co-inventor of the technology at the University of Arkansas’s division of agriculture, Dr Jane Wang, says: “We developed this new food coating to provide a healthier alternative to fried foods that retains the taste and appeal of these popular products.”
The coating is created from liquid oil using a process which can be incorporated into existing lines and a composition that uses all commercially available products.
Tekcapital, an international provider of technology and intellectual property services, has acquired the exclusive worldwide licence for the patent pending coating.
Mass market
Its directors believe the technology has the potential for mass market adoption.
“We are very excited to have agreed to acquire this exclusive licence from the University of Arkansas and look forward to commercialising this technology with leading, forward-thinking food companies that can benefit from improving the nutritional content of their product offerings,” according to Dr Clifford Gross, Tekcapital’s executive chairman.