Overview
- Late June reports said researchers at Heriot‑Watt University in Edinburgh have begun a 10‑month lab programme to reformulate laminated pastry to reduce saturated fat.
- The team is testing oleogelation, a process that structures liquid vegetable oils into a 'solid‑like' fat so the oil can sit between dough layers and create the same flaky texture as traditional solid fats.
- The project is funded by UKRI EPSRC’s Impact Acceleration awards and involves industry partners New Food Innovation and AB Mauri to push promising formulations from the lab into kitchen trials.
- Researchers plan to prioritise oils from crops that can be grown in the UK to limit environmental impact and say stable oleogels could cut or remove repeated chilling steps in commercial pastry production.
- If sensory and technical targets are met, the team will move to consumer taste tests and the approach could be extended to other laminated goods and some vegan alternatives, with potential public‑health and manufacturing benefits.