Exploring the Impact of Lipid Structure and Composition on the Digestion of Next-Generation Meat and Dairy Analogues

TL;DR

This review explores how the structure and composition of fat substitutes in plant-based and microbial meat and dairy products affect digestion and nutrient absorption.

Contribution

The paper introduces a structure–interface–digestion framework to guide the design of functional fat substitutes in next-generation food analogues.

Findings

Lipid composition and supramolecular organization jointly determine digestive fate and nutritional functionality.

Fat analogues influence lipolysis kinetics, mixed micelle formation, and bioaccessibility of nutrients.

Plant and microbial lipid systems require intentional design to match the digestive and nutritional performance of animal fats.

Abstract

The world population is increasing exponentially and is expected to reach 9.2 billion people by 2040, intensifying pressures on food systems and raising concerns regarding food security and environmental sustainability. In response, plant-based and microbially sourced meat and dairy analogues have emerged as alternatives to animal-derived foods. These next-generation products rely heavily on fat substitutes to replicate the sensory and functional roles of animal fats, which not only influence flavour, texture, and consumer acceptance but also play a critical role in digestion and the absorption of lipophilic nutrients. This review advances a structure–interface–digestion framework for understanding fat substitutes in meat and dairy analogues, in which lipid composition and supramolecular organization jointly determine digestive fate and nutritional functionality. Rather than acting solely as sensory replacers, fat analogues regulate lipolysis kinetics, mixed micelle formation, and the bioaccessibility of lipophilic nutrients through key parameters including fatty acid chain length, degree of saturation, physical state, and interfacial architecture. Within this framework, plant and microbially derived lipid systems are not functionally interchangeable with animal fats and therefore require purposeful structural design to ensure effective digestion and nutrient delivery. By integrating insights from food sciences, nutrition, and biotechnology, this review highlights the necessity of rationally engineered fat analogue systems that reconcile sustainability constraints with sensory performance and optimal nutritional efficacy.

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