Physicochemical characteristics and shelf-life stability of soya bean oil-based shortening.

The use of animal fats as raw material for shortening production has been avoided because of low supply, and religious restrictions of certain beliefs. The use of hydrogenated vegetable oils is also avoided because that may induce cardiovascular diseases. Palm oils and soya bean oil are theoretically potentials to be used as raw materials for shortening manufacturing due to their triacylglycerols composition and these oils can be easily modified to achieve desirable plasticity. In this study, shortening was produced by formulating a blend of palm stearin and soya bean oil in varying proportions. Physicochemical properties, product stability, and sensory acceptability of the processed shortening were determined. Stability tests of the processed shortening were determined for 6 months at two months intervals. The acidity, peroxide value, and free fatty acid values were increased with storage time and storage temperature. The physicochemical properties of the processed shortening samples were within the requirements of the food domain. The samples stored at 37 °C exhibited the highest acid, peroxide, and free fatty acid values throughout storage time. In conclusion, shortening produced from 60% palm stearin (S60) and stored at room temperature has shown a good physicochemical characteristic and is well accepted for different sensory attributes.