Vegetable Shortening

Vegetable shortening is a solid fat made from vegetable oils, such as soybean, palm, or cottonseed oil. It is produced by a process called hydrogenation, which makes liquid oils solid at room temperature. Modern versions often use interesterification to avoid trans fats.

Manufacturers use vegetable shortening in baked goods like cookies, cakes, and pastries to create a tender texture, flakiness, and improved shelf life. It provides structure and richness, and is a key ingredient for achieving specific dough and batter consistencies.

Historically, many vegetable shortenings contained partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), which were a major source of artificial trans fats. The FDA determined that PHOs are no longer generally recognized as safe (GRAS) as of 2018, effectively removing most artificial trans fats from the food supply. Current vegetable shortenings are typically formulated to be trans-fat free. As a source of dietary fat, often including saturated fat, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025-2030) recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories.