Plant ingredient substitutes fat in bakery products, with good organoleptic results

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Gavan Technologies Ltd. (Acre, Israel), a foodtech startup, has created a plant-based ingredient that can substitute traditional butter and fat in products like baked goods. According to the company, this patented fat-protein matrix can replicate the functionality of animal fat and reduce saturated fat by up to 80%.

Calls FaTrix, the sustainable, clean-label ingredient is formed by binding plant oil and water to an extracted-protein base. This yields a protein-enriched texturized fat that is also free of trans fat. To produce the ingredient, Gavan says it uses its “proprietary, waste-free protein-extraction technology designed to extricate the full value of the plant, leaving none of its components redundant while fully maintaining the integrity of the protein’s peptide structure.”

The company compares FaTrix to other traditionally used plant oils such as olive or sunflower oil. These alternatives “possess low retention capacity and are prone to release during baking, leading to a loss of tenderness,” the company’s press release states. Meanwhile, it says, “Firmer tropical oils such as palm and coconut oils have high saturated fat content, can impact flavor, and are subject to volatile supply chains.”

According to the company, FaTrix offers “superior” binding and cooking capabilities and has a high melting point and fat-holding capacity, “preventing it from leaching during processing or heating,” stated Uri Jeremias, cofounder of Gavan Technologies, who is also described as a “culinary expert and restaurant owner.”

“These properties are crucial to maintaining the succulence and tenderness of the final product,” Jeremias said. “Moreover, it acts as a carrier for flavors, vitamins, and beneficial omega-3.”

The company says it can also customize FaTrix’s composition to suit application needs. “Our platform works well with all types of plant oils, from olive and sunflower to canola,” added Itai Cohen, Gavan’s cofounder and CEO, in the press release. “Some products require 50/50 fat-to-water ratio. Others demand firmer fat integration. We can customize FaTrix to meet any range.”

FaTrix is a step forward in alternative fats, the firm attests. “Traditionally, pastries have relied on fats derived from animals. Despite the widespread use of vegetable fats as an alternative, they still cannot match the characteristic taste, texture, and smoothness that real butter confers. Replacing animal fat with plant-based oils can create difficulties due to the fluid nature of these ingredients, yet hydrogenated oils are a less-than-ideal solution.”