Oleogels as Emerging Solid Fat Substitutes: Basic Characteristics, Preparation Strategies, and Food Applications

ABSTRACT Traditional solid fats contain a large amount of trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids, which can have adverse effects on human health. Therefore, reducing or eliminating the intake of saturated and trans fats in daily diets and seeking new types of fat substitutes are of great significance to the development of the food industry. As a new type of semi‐solid lipid system, oleogels build a three‐dimensional network structure in liquid vegetable oil through gelling agents. It has both low trans/saturated fatty acid content and rheological properties similar to solid fats, and has become an excellent alternative to traditional solid fats. This article reviews the basic characteristics, factors affecting properties of oleogels, and preparation methods of oleogels. Meanwhile, their applications in meat products, dairy products, baked goods, and delivering bioactive compounds are highly summarized. This review provides references for the development of healthy fat substitutes and their applications in the food industry.