Fat Functionality Replacement In Baked Product Matrices CTP PhD

The aim of the project is to create a healthier, more sustainable pastry that consumers can continue to enjoy without compromising taste, texture, and flavour. This will be achieved by developing a detailed understanding of the role fat performs as a shortening agent in baked pastry products, leading to the characteristics that create an indulgent eating experience. The student will investigate, evaluate, and develop methods to characterise the functionality of the fat at each stage of the manufacturing process and how different oils and fats may impact functionality and final product attributes. This will include the use of rheology and tribology to elucidate the role of fat in flour particle coatings and water migration modulation during mixing and baking. Thermal analysis will also be implemented to establish the transformations occurring on baking which lead to the desired sensorial characteristics and information gathered will be considered alongside the consumers sensory perception of the product. An understanding will be developed of how the fat interacts with other ingredients during the processes to prevent gluten matrices developing (i.e., "shortening"), whilst delivering characteristics important to the overall eating quality of the final product.Once this is understanding is gained, strategies for alternative shortening agents will be generated, potential replacements identified, tested, and evaluated both at the laboratory and industrial pilot scale. To ensure the findings from this work are relevant and transferable, throughout the project nutritional and sustainability aspects of any proposed solutions will be explored and considered together with technological functionality.