Palm shortenings with low melting point (LMP) are specialised fat products derived from refined, bleached, and deodorised (RBD) palm oil through controlled fractionation and blending processes. Shortenings are solid or semi-solid fats used in baking and food manufacturing to create tender, flaky textures in pastries, biscuits, cakes, and other baked goods. The term "shortening" derives from its function in baking — it shortens gluten strands in dough, resulting in a more tender and crumbly finished product.
Low melting point palm shortenings typically have a melting range of 33-39 degrees Celsius, making them softer and more plastic (workable) at room temperature compared to standard palm shortenings. They are produced by selecting and blending specific palm oil fractions — predominantly palm olein (the liquid fraction of palm oil) with controlled amounts of palm mid-fraction or palm stearin — to achieve the desired slip melting point, solid fat content (SFC) profile, and plasticity characteristics.
The oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, provides the raw material for these shortenings. Palm oil's naturally semi-solid consistency (melting point approximately 33-39 degrees Celsius), balanced fatty acid profile (approximately 44% palmitic acid and 39% oleic acid), and excellent oxidative stability make it an ideal base for shortening production without the need for partial hydrogenation — thereby avoiding the formation of trans fatty acids. This trans-fat-free characteristic has become increasingly important as global food regulations restrict or ban trans fats in food products.
In food manufacturing, LMP palm shortenings are used in cream fillings and icings (where a soft, smooth texture is required), laminated pastries (croissants, puff pastry), cake batters, biscuit doughs, and as a general-purpose baking fat. Their plasticity at room temperature allows easy creaming and incorporation of air, essential for producing light, airy cake batters and frostings. The solid fat content profile of LMP shortenings is carefully designed to provide optimal performance at typical bakery working temperatures of 20-25 degrees Celsius.
The major producers of palm-based shortenings are located in Malaysia and Indonesia, with significant processing capacity also in Europe, the Middle East, and India. Both conventional and RSPO-certified sustainable supply options are available. Modern shortening production technology allows precise customisation of SFC profiles and melting characteristics to meet specific application requirements.
Historically, shortenings were traditionally made from animal fats such as lard and tallow. The development of hydrogenation technology in the early 20th century enabled the production of vegetable-based shortenings from cottonseed, soybean, and later palm oil. However, concerns about trans fatty acids from partial hydrogenation have driven a shift toward naturally semi-solid palm oil-based shortenings that provide the desired functionality without trans fats.
Interesting facts include: palm-based shortenings replaced hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil shortenings in many markets due to trans-fat concerns; the plasticity of LMP shortenings can be further customised through interesterification (enzymatic or chemical restructuring of triglycerides); and palm shortenings are used in halal and vegetarian food manufacturing as alternatives to animal-based shortenings (lard and tallow).