Fats & Oil by Chef Deepak Yadav
Channel: CHITKARA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH & INNOVATION NETWORK
Date: 2020-11-25

COMMODITIES
SHORTENING, FATS & OILS
Fats are solid at room temperature and melt when heated. Those
used in cooking includes butter, margarine, lard, suet and
hydrogenated fat. Oils are liquid at normal temperatures, but solidify
at lower temperatures. Those commonly used in cooking are peanut
(groundnut/arachide) oil, coconut oil, mustard seed oil, sesame (teel)
oil, olive oil and safflower oil. Shortenings are fats that are used in
the baking industry and in confectionery.

HYDROGENATION OF OILS
The conversion of oil into fat is known as hydrogenation. The process
changes the physical properties of the oil. Hydrogenation consists of
treating oil under pressure and at a suitable temperature with
hydrogen, in the presence of a catalyst, usually nickle. Under these
conditions, the unsaturated fatty acids present in the oil combine
with the hydrogen. This chemical process brings about a physical
change, the liquid oil changing into a solid fat. The unsaturated
fatty acids are chiefly those of the oelic type and are converted into
stearic acid which is solid. The varying consistencies available in fats
is due to the process of hydrogenation being stopped at various
stages.

SHORTENINGS
Fats can be used as shortenings or as a cooking medium. In
confectionery, fats impart their characteristic flavour as well asshortening qualities. Their effect is to coat and break down the
gluten strands, so that instead of being hard and tough to eat, foods
containing shortening break off short and melt readily in the mouth.

FACTORS TO LOOK FOR IN SHORTENINGS:
1. Creaming Value: This effect the volume of the item eg: cakes. The
amount of air incorporated during creaming.
2. Shortening value: The shortness it gives to the end product.
Shortness is a quality essential in products such as biscuits & cookies.
3. Stability: Refers to keeping quality and shelf life.
4. Consistency: Hardness or Softness depending on the purpose.
hardness for puff pastry, softness for cakes.
5. Water absorption Will affect the emulsification value of the
shortening power:

As shortening agents, fats add to the nutritional and satiety values of
flour mixtures like doughs and batters. They also contribute to the
taste and flavour. The type of fat and the way it is incorporated will
affect the texture (eg: short crust pastry and flaky pastry). Baking
must be done at correct temperatures. As the fat melts during
baking, it must be absorbed by the flour. If the heat is insufficient,
the melted fat will run out and result in a hard product. Fat which
has been broken up into small particles during creaming will be more
easily absorbed than fat left in large pieces.
Fat as a frying medium function in three ways:
- it serves to transmit heat to the articles of food to be fried.
- it adds to the nutritive value (calories).
- It contributes to the flavour and taste and texture of the food.

TYPES OF FATS AND OILS
FAT/OIL SOURCE PROPERTIES USES
Butter Cream Salted or unsalted, shallow frying Difficult to handle
when chilled, unsuitable for Deep frying. Unique flavour, Good
enriching qualities. Margarine Groundnuts Not easy to spread.
Economical for baking Palm, coconut, Low cholesterol Fish oils, Whey
Soft blend as above will spread even if Margarine chilled excellent for
cake & pastry making Soft blend as above will spread even if
Margarine chilled excellent for cake & pastry making Low fat Blended
Low-calorie content can be used for baking Spreads & vegetable oils
but not for pastry. (Spreads when chilled) Cholesterol Free Spreads
Lard Pork White solid fat, good for Short Crust Pastry & Shallow
frying. Not suitable for creaming with sugar. Economical Suet Lamb
or Hard white fat, good for Short crust, steamed Beef puddings &
stuffing Corn Oil Corn Refined. All-purpose especially deep frying
Sunflower/ Sunflower & Refined. All-purpose cooking medium
Safflower oil /Safflower seeds / Sesame seeds/ Gingelly oil (teel)
Olive Oil Olives Distinctive taste & flavour, Salad dressings
Cooking medium, but not deep frying Soya bean Distinctive. All purpose cooking medium Oil Coconut Coconuts Strong aroma &
flavour. Used a lot in Kerala Oil and Coastal cuisine Mustard Strong
aroma & flavour Used in North Indian Oil plant & Bengali cuisine and
in pickles Arachide Groundnuts Distinctive flavour. All-purpose
cooking Oil medium Pure Ghee Cream Rich flavour used extensively
in Indian Cooking and sweets Solid Palm Neutral flavour Suitable for
all types of cooking Vegetable Oil, In short, Fats & Oils can be
classified as:
Animal Sources: Lard, Suet
Dairy Sources: Butter, Pure Ghee
Vegetable Sources: Refined oils Margarine