Abstract: Fat is one of the most important nutritional components in foods. It not only endows foods with unique flavor and taste and provides the energy needed by the human body, but also has a significant impact on the structure and overall quality of foods. However, excessive intake of fat is not conducive to human health. Therefore, it is hoped that the use of fat mimics to replace fat in food will reduce the harm of excessive intake of fat to the human body while maintaining the original flavor of foods as much as possible. This article reviews the classification of fat replacers and fat mimics and recent research on the role and application of fat mimics in foods, outlines the basis for the classification of fat replacers into fat substitutes and fat mimics, with emphasis on the mechanisms of action, advantages, limitations, roles and applications of single and mixed fat mimics. It also proposes future strategies for the research and development of fat mimics in order to provide a direction for the development of healthy and safe fat mimics.

Key words: fat; fat mimics; classification; application