Health buffs, fidgety wives, goosey teens and just about anyone struggling to keep body humps in check need fret no more. 

A low-calorie tailored fat designed to lower the body's cholesterol level have been developed by scientists at the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

Research information showed that coconut and local seed oils could be transformed to specialty oil that enhances people's health. The product is called tailored fat, designed with desirable characteristics such as capacity to control deposits of cholesterol in the human body. 

The tailored fat could also serve as host for providing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which both come from fish oils for healthier diet.

The research results pack chubby possibilities amidst plump demand for foods fortified with nutritionally important fatty acids, the Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development, an agency of the Department of Science and Technology that funded the project said.

BIOTECH researchers Dr. Laura Pham and Precy Rasco converted coconut and seed oil into specialty oil through interesterification, the process of rearranging the positions of fatty acids in the molecules.  This process produces changes in the oil's physical and chemical behavior. 

Dr. Pham used an enzyme called lipase to convert the properties of coconut oil through interesterification,.  "Lipase is substrate-specific.  It works only in the substance to be acted upon," she said.

"This is a completely natural process since an enzyme is used as catalyst. No chemicals are used or added", she added.

Through interesterification using enzyme, coconut oil can expand its nutritional values because essential fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid or DHA can be added to it.  These fatty acids boost the immune system and reduce blood pressure.

The resulting specialty oil with DHA can be used in developing fortified food products such as low-fat spreads, beverages, snacks, baked goods, and even infant formulas.

Meanwhile, the research also resulted to the production of cocoa butter out of coconut oil that has the same solid fat index (SFI) with cocoa butter.   Just like the natural fat extracted from cocoa beans, the cocoa butter from coconut oil is smooth and creamy which is excellent for culinary and pharmaceutical applications.

Cocoa butter is an important ingredient for balms, lotions, creams, and soaps because of its softening and skin-healing properties. With its rich and creamy consistency, cocoa butter makes skin soft and supple and keeps it from drying out.  Fine sunscreen oils also use tailored coconut oil to produce a rich tan.

Worldwide, specialty oils are also used in the production of vitamins, supplements and suppositories.   Even the automotive industry use specialty oils as synthetic motor oils and lubricants.

Dr. Pham says that there are obese potentials in coming up with high-value products from coconut oil, particularly in using lipase as catalyst.

"Harnessing coconut oil through biotechnology will enable our country to have that competitive edge in supplying the great demand for specialty oils in the global market.  The possibilities are endless," she added.

PCASTRD supports research projects within its priority areas such as biotechnology, information technology, materials science, electronics, instrumentation and controls, photonics, and remote sensing that show potentials in making an impact to the economy.

 For more information on the technology, please contact PCASTRD at pcastrd@dost.gov.ph or tel. nos. 837-2071 to 82 loc 2100-2109  or Dr. Laura Pham at tel. no. (049) 536-2721.