A new peanut flour could help improve the texture and flavor of low-fat peanut butter. To make the low-fat peanut butter, manufacturers dissolve the fat in the peanuts. But this process imparts a sticky, gritty texture to the blend. Natural peanut oils also tend to pool on the surface of low-fat butters. (Peanut “butter” is designated as such only if it contains 90-plus percent peanuts or peanut-based ingredients. If there’s less than that amount, the product is labeled as a “spread.”) To improve the quality of low-fat peanut butters, ARS scientists modified components in the flour of de-fatted peanuts. The modified flour serves a twofold purpose: to dilute the fat in the butter, and mimic the lost fat’s taste and texture-conferring properties. In lab experiments, this resulted in a creamier, tastier peanut butter with 25 to 33 percent less fat than standard commercial products. The scientists are now seeking a commercial partner to help refine the low-fat butters. Use of the technology, they estimate, could help low-fat peanut butters capture a greater share of the $12 million-plus annual peanut butter market.

Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA
Harmeet Guraya, (504) 286-4258, hguraya@commserver.srrc.usda.gov