Interesterified Soybean Oil Shortening

Interesterified soybean oil shortening is a solid fat made from soybean oil. It is produced through a process called interesterification, which rearranges the fatty acids within the oil to change its physical properties, such as its melting point and texture. This process allows it to function similarly to traditional shortening without creating artificial trans fats.

Manufacturers use interesterified soybean oil shortening in baked goods like cookies, biscuits, and pastries. It provides desirable texture, mouthfeel, and stability, contributing to flakiness and structure. It is often used as a replacement for partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) to reduce artificial trans fat content.

Interesterified soybean oil shortening is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA as a food ingredient. It is widely used as an alternative to partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), which were removed from the FDA's GRAS list in 2018 due to concerns about artificial trans fats. JECFA has evaluated interesterified fats and concluded they are not a nutritional concern when replacing PHOs. EFSA has also reviewed these fats and generally considers them safe when used as replacements for other fats.