PolyU's fungus-based fat replacer targets obesity, elevates gut health

Hotel ICON has incorporated the alternative to reduce fat in soft serve and desserts.

The Department of Food Science and Nutrition has successfully developed AkkMore™, a fungus-based fat replacer which effectively prevents obesity and metabolic diseases, enhances gut health, modulates immune response, and relieves anxiety. 

AkkMore™'s functional component, extracted from a natural fungus, underwent testing in three phases of animal experiments.

The experiments found that mice administered with the AkkMore™ formula developed a healthier gut microbiota, showing a higher density of Akkermansia, a lower Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, lighter adipose tissue, and suppressed neuroinflammation.

The replacer also helps lower the calorific content of food and extends the shelf life of cream products. In the long term, it can reduce dairy consumption and food waste, providing innovative ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) solutions in the food industry.

Such is facilitated by Cream Mate, an AkkMore™-based cream alternative that reduces the amount of cream used in desserts.

The PolyU research team collaborated with GREEN of Hotel ICON, where the hotel restaurant infuses Cream Mate in reduced-fat soft serve and desserts, launching its new limited-time "ForestFit Afternoon Tea With Japanese Fruit And Akkmore™."

Hotel ICON tested two soft-serve formulas in a laboratory. The results showed that soft serve with AkkMore™ Cream Mate had less than 3% total fat, an 80% reduction compared to regular soft serve, and the total energy was reduced by more than half.