Fatty Acid Compositions and Physical Characteristics of Recent Shortenings

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Fatty acid compositions and physical characteristics of shortening were determined for 25 brands of products: for bread, whipped cream and frozen dessert, 5 brands each; 5 fluid brands; for cake; 4, and for pie crust, 1.The investigation was conducted essentially the same as in the preceeding study on bakery margarines. [YUKAGAKU, in contribution]1) Results of fatty acid analyses indicated the main material oil or fat to be a vegetable liquid oil in all brads of liquid shortening, a laurin oil in 2 types for frozen dessert and palm oil in the others for frozen dessert. Hardened marine oils were found to blend in 10 other types, as evident from the relatively high levels of long chain fatty acids with 20 or more carbon.Trans-isomers of unsaturated fatty acids were detected in only a very few samples of fluid shortening and frozen dessert, but in all other types. Their levels averaged 11.4% for t-18:1, 3.8% for t-20:1 and 2.8% for t-22:1.2) According to the SFC and hardness index curves, the frozen desserts, particularly those containing mainly laurin oil, tended to be harder than other solid products in a lower temperature region than 15°C, but they readily softened in a higher temperature region.The SFC curve for fluid products indicated solid fat components to be comprised only of the emulsifiers added.3) The hardness index was correlated to SFC for the shortening. The total % of unsaturated fatty acids, except trans-isomers, was also correlated to SFC at 20°C for all the products, and if products comprised mainly of laurin oil be not considered, the correlation was even better. However, no correlation was found between the total % and hardness index at 20°C for the shortening, even without this consideration.