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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #135552
Title: FORMULATION OF FOOD OILS FROM PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL

Author
item List, Gary

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2002
Publication Date: 11/9/2002
Citation: LIST, G.R. FORMULATION OF FOOD OILS FROM PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL. MEETING ABSTRACT. 2002. p. 128-130.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Domestic U. S. consumption of edible soybean oil products, including salad/cooking oils, shortening and margarine/table spreads, amounts to over 13 billion pounds annually. Historically, consumption of cooking/salad oils and shortening has increased while margarine/table spreads peaked in the early 1990's and has leveled off during the past decade. Factors contributing to the latter include introduction of low fat products and consumer concerns over trans acids formed during partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils. This paper will review current trends in the formulation of food products made from partially hydrogenated soybean oils. Nearly 6.5 billion pounds of soybean oil are used in salad/cooking oils. Typically, hydrogenated-winterized soybean oil is prepared by reducing the iodine value from about 130 to about 110 under selective conditions, followed by chilling the oil where higher melting triglycerides crystallize out and are then separated by filtration. The liquid fraction is then suitable as a salad oil for light frying in the home. The higher melting stearine fraction may be utilized in shortening or spread formulations. Shortening oil is produced by hydrogenation under selective conditions where the iodine value is reduced to about 80. This basestock allows formulation of a wide variety of shortening products through the addition of fully hydrogenated soybean or cottonseed flakes prior to formulating the finished shortening. Products formulated by this approach include all purpose baking, frying and cake/icing shortenings. Up until about 10 years ago, margarine/spread oils were formulated by blending 2 or more hydrogenated basestocks. Today a single basestock is employed to formulate both stick and soft tub products. Soybean oil hydrogenated to an iodine value of 65-70 allows stick, spreadable stick or soft tub to be formulated through controlling the amount of liquid soybean oil incorporated into the blend. The preparation, composition and physical properties of shortening and spread oils will be presented and reviewed.