MicroLub: A novel microgel-based superlubricating formulation for fat replacement applications

MicroLub：一种基于微凝胶的新型超级润滑配方，适用于脂肪替代应用

• 批准号: EP/X03514X/1
• 负责人: Anwesha Sarkar
• 金额: $ 16.47万
• 依托单位: University of Leeds
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX03514X%2F1
• 关键词: MicroLub; novel; microgel; based; superlubricating

Reducing fat in foods is a viable strategy to significantly decrease calorie intake and thus, fat replacer molecules are likely to be important in the race towards reversing the obesity crisis. The commercial fat replacer market is expected to considerably increase to 24 billion Euros by 2027, largely fueled by the growing public awareness for reduced-fat foods. However, the fat replacer industry faces severe technological challenges because the currently marketed fat replacers do not fully emulate the lubrication performance of full fat counterparts and thus fail to achieve consumers' expectations. The aim of the MicroLub project is to translate an innovative microgel-based technology with superlubricity developed in the context of the ERC project LubSat, towards the development of a more effective fat replacer ingredient. The technological innovation proposed includes deformable polypeptide-based microgels with grafted saccharides in a patchy heterogenous morphology. The exposed polypeptide region lead to a transient colloidal coating of the oral surfaces via hydrophobic interactions, whilst the grafted saccharides hydrogen bond with water molecules to create a microporous hydrated scaffold. This technology thus combines boundary and fluid film lubrication, unachieved by any fat replacement technologies available to date. Working through 4 work-packages, we will validate the techno-commercial feasibility of the formulation in close cooperation with experienced industrial partners and create the framework for potential licensing of this breakthrough technology to key industrial players. The expected outcomes aim to demonstrate the up-scaling feasibility and validation of technical performance against competition, filing a licensable patent, and developing a provisional business model that will allow us to build strategic alliances with selected industrial partners to take forward the commercialization of this technology and finally contribute towards reducing obesity

减少食物中的脂肪是显着减少卡路里摄入量的可行策略，因此，脂肪替代分子可能在扭转肥胖危机的竞赛中发挥重要作用。预计到 2027 年，商业脂肪替代品市场将大幅增长至 240 亿欧元，这主要是由于公众对低脂食品的认识不断增强。然而，脂肪替代品行业面临着严峻的技术挑战，因为目前市售的脂肪替代品并未完全模仿全脂同类产品的润滑性能，因此未能达到消费者的期望。 MicroLub 项目的目标是将 ERC 项目 LubSat 中开发的具有超润滑性的创新微凝胶技术转化为开发更有效的脂肪替代成分。所提出的技术创新包括可变形的基于多肽的微凝胶，其具有斑片异质形态的接枝糖。暴露的多肽区域通过疏水相互作用在口腔表面形成短暂的胶体涂层，同时接枝的糖与水分子形成氢键以形成微孔水合支架。因此，该技术结合了边界润滑和液膜润滑，这是迄今为止任何脂肪替代技术都无法实现的。我们将通过 4 个工作包，与经验丰富的工业合作伙伴密切合作，验证该配方的技术商业可行性，并为这一突破性技术向主要工业参与者的潜在许可建立框架。预期成果旨在证明技术性能在竞争中的扩大可行性和验证、申请可授权专利并开发临时商业模式，使我们能够与选定的工业合作伙伴建立战略联盟，以推进该技术的商业化最终为减少肥胖做出贡献

项目成果

Glycation influencing lubrication: Tribology principles derived from nature to inspire future food colloid design

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2023.101782
• 发表时间: 2023-12-01
• 期刊: Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science
• 作者: A. Sarkar;Khalid Gul
• 通讯作者: Khalid Gul