Food Products

Abstract

Food products for the dietary management of a diet-responsive disease or condition, a method of dietary management of a diet-responsive disease or condition, and a system for providing such food products are disclosed. In one embodiment, the system involves (a) providing the name of at least one medical professional or medical professional's office or practice for consultation by participants and, if applicable, for writing orders for food products for participants; (b) providing controlled access to a supply of food products; and (c) providing the food products to the participants. The food products can be supplied in any suitable manner. Suitable manners of providing a supply of food products include, but are not limited to providing the food products at retail outlets, such as stores that have pharmacies, and drug stores, or through a website.

1 . A food product in a prepackaged form selected from the group consisting of a frozen or shelf stable: complete meal, main course of a meal, appetizer, entree, side dish for a meal, sauce, dressing, dessert, snack, cooked food, hot food, microwavable food, cooking oil, and spreads, wherein said food product is prepared using a recipe which has been modified to replace at least some digestible fat in the recipe with a fat replacement ingredient, said food product is in a packaged form for storage and distribution, and is suitable for consumption five or more days after being packaged, and said food product comprises a food product for the dietary management of a diet-responsive disease or condition. 
     
     
         2 . A food product according to  claim 1  comprising calories and fat, said food product having less than or equal to about 30% of said calories derived from fat. 
     
     
         3 . A food product according to  claim 1  comprising a partially digestible or non-digestible fat replacement ingredient. 
     
     
         4 . A food product according to  claim 3  wherein said partially digestible or non-digestible fat replacement ingredient comprises an edible, substantially non-absorbable, substantially non-digestible polyol fatty acid polyester having at least 4 fatty acid ester groups, wherein said polyol is selected from the group consisting of sugars and sugar alcohols containing from 4 to 8 hydroxy groups and wherein each fatty acid group has from 2 to 24 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         5 . A food product according to  claim 3  wherein said partially digestible or non-digestible fat replacement ingredient comprises a sucrose polyester. 
     
     
         6 . A food product according to  claim 3  wherein said partially digestible or non-digestible fat replacement ingredient comprises a mixture of octa-, hepta-, and hexa-esters of sucrose with fatty acids derived from edible fats and oils or fatty acids, wherein the chain lengths of the fatty acids contain no less than 12 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         7 . A food product according to  claim 1  which is rated at least consumer-equivalent to a comparable diet food item according to the Test Method. 
     
     
         8 . A food product according to  claim 1  comprising less than or equal to 1 gram of saturated fat.