Baking Shortening (Special Purpose)

Baking Shortening: Nutrition and Guide

Baking shortening is formulated specifically to optimise results in bread and pastry production — different functional requirements from frying or confectionery applications. The saturated fat content (28.8 g per 100 g) is moderate — enough solidity to provide structure and tenderness in baked goods without being so hard as to be difficult to incorporate at room temperature. Baking shortenings often have added emulsifiers (particularly mono- and diglycerides) that help retain moisture in bread and improve crumb structure and shelf life. These emulsifiers interact with starch and gluten to produce finer, more tender crumb structure and slower staling than plain fat would achieve. Used professionally in bread, rolls, quick breads, muffins, and general pastry production.