Confectionery fat: composition, history, benefits and harms

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The concept of "confectionery fat", or "cooking fat", "shortening" is a dietary fat. It is predominantly of plant origin, but its subspecies have completely diverse compositions. Culinary fat is called a fat that remains in a solid state at room temperature, otherwise it is an oil composition.

History of confectionery fat

Initially, the concept of "confectionery fat" was referred to as lard, but when the famous scientist Mezh-Mourier from France created margarine in 1869, it was also called confectionery fat.

In the 20th century, hydrogenated vegetable oil appeared, which, like margarine, acquired this definition. Lard and fat include a lot of common items in the composition. This is their belonging to semi-solid fats, smoking quite strongly during combustion in comparison with the creamy buttery texture and the same margarine. Both are endowed with a small amount of moisture and therefore do not splash (this classifies them as safe fats).

Fat content in confectionery is 80%.

Fat production

DespiteDespite the fact that lard and fat have an almost identical confectionery composition, the production of the latter turned out to be much cheaper, since it did not require cold to ensure long-term storage. This fact reduced the cost and developed interest in the product in that historical period, when the distribution of refrigeration equipment was not yet discussed. Also widespread, especially in America, was the vigorous activity of such global companies as Procter & Gamble and Crisco. Monopoly food producers were looking for low-cost raw materials to develop their industry, so vegetable shortening caught on. Again, the high waste rate of cotton and corn oil, soybeans contributed to the breadth of its use.

What is confectionery fat?

Very often the label contains the following entry: "special purpose fat". Only technologists will understand it. In general, the features can be explained as follows: for different groups of confectionery products, different fats are used, more precisely, narrowly focused functionality. Fat soft confectionery composition of the filling makes it soft, plastic, and hard fat allows you to give the confectionery the desired shape, improve the quality of its transportation and increase storage time. For example: chocolate paste and a chocolate confectionery bar have a similar composition, but have a different type of consistency (paste is viscous, liquid, and a chocolate bar is solid). And all because cooking oil of different hardness is used in their manufacture.

What is confectionery fat made of

Now about the requirements for the composition.

Confectionery fat is an oil-based product made mainly from vegetable raw materials (it can be refined, deodorized, modified oil). It is permissible to add fats of animal origin to it: pork, beef and even whale lard (lard is the same solid fat, but obtained as a result of using a slightly different technology).

Palm and coconut oil are used as vegetable fat. If we are talking about chocolate products and sweets, then such a confectionery fat has a slightly different composition: peanut or cottonseed oil prevails there.

The end product is almost always firm and resembles butter in both appearance and texture, as well as color. It retains moisture well, so it allows pastries to last longer.

Although it should be noted the very meager chemical composition of confectionery fat: directly fat and vitamin E.

Is confectionery fat good?

Confectionery fat, the composition and calorie content of which cause the most concern, has a fairly high nutritional value - about 700 to 900 kcal per 100 grams. For this reason, its excessive consumption is not recommended by dietitians.

There are practically no useful substances and trace elements in confectionery fat. It is absorbed very quickly, so you need to carefully monitor it.consumption, as an excess amount contributes to weight gain.

The benefit is vitamin E in the composition and the fat itself, if it is of very high quality. These substances support the elasticity and firmness of the skin.

In the 21st century, concern about the abundance of confectionery fat in food, the description and composition of which are given above, has penetrated the masses. Its negative side is especially widely covered: the effect of fat, or rather the trans fats it contains, on the human body. In 2004, Crisco introduces an updated composition with a reduced proportion of this component. After two years - completely removes trans fats from the composition.

The disadvantages of eating cooking oil include its high cholesterol content, which contributes to the development of many serious diseases, such as coronary heart disease. Remember: excessive consumption of any food can adversely affect your he alth.