Palm-Free Shortening Has No Hydrogenated Fat, Reduced Saturated Fat, and Benefits Baking

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Stratas Foods LLC (Memphis, TN), a supplier of fats and oils, mayonnaise, dressings, and sauces, highlighted its new Superb Select 1020 shortening ingredient at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo in Chicago. The shortening is made from non-PHO soybean oil and offers a substantial reduction in saturated fats, plus no hydrogenated fats. The company says the product has been in R&D since last year.

According to the company, Superb Select 1020 has 40% less saturated fat than conventional palm oil. It also maintains its structure during baking and protects both flavor and stability as it ages, which the company says are three of the biggest challenges bakers encounter with palm oil.

“In the post-PHO world, the new focus is on reducing saturated fats,” said Roger Daniels, vice president of research, development, and innovation, in a press release. “Stratas Foods got ahead of customer demand in creating Superb Select 1020 shortening. Now that we’ve solved the non-PHO baking issue, market demands for a shortening without hydrogenated fat on the label have increased. Products with lower saturated fats are the next big thing.”

“Superb Select 1020 shortening is the ideal product for those customers who do not like the flavor profile or performance of palm and who would also like to reduce the saturated fats in their final products,” added Daniels.

In 2016, Stratas Foods introduced a unique, non-PHO soy-based shortening for baking, icing, and donut applications, called Apex. The company continues to innovate in this area.