Exploring the tropics
In addition to high-oleic oils, tropical oils such as palm and coconut oil provide good shelf stability, creamy texture and desirable flavor to baked goods. The drawback is their saturated fatty acid content. However, not all tropical oils are created equal, which is why many bakers still favor their use or partial use in applications.
Palm oil comes from the fruit of the African oil palm, Elaesis guineensis, one of the two main fruit-bearing tropical palm species. The other is Cocos nucifera, which yields coconuts. Oil palms produce fruit once they are about four years old and continue to grow and produce year-round for up to 40 years, making them inherently very sustainable crops. Both palm and coconut oil are naturally solid fats.
As the demand for palm oil grew over the past few decades, the industry evolved into large plantations — mostly in Indonesia and Malaysia, which now produce roughly 85% of palm oil worldwide — focusing on profit rather than the land or the community. This is changing, and many suppliers are partnering with farmers who only grow responsibly.
Conventional palm oils are processed with chemicals and solvents, while organic palm oils are produced using mechanical and physical methods. The oil works well in combination with high-oleic oils in many baked goods.
“Two types of base oils are produced from palm fruit bunches,” said Tonya Lofgren, marketing manager, Ciranda Inc. “Palm fruit oil comes from the fleshly orange pulp and palm kernel oil from the kernel or nut.”
What results are oils with widely varying fat content. “Palm oil and palm kernel oil differ in their fatty acid and triglyceride compositions,” said Christopher Bohm, customer innovation manager, bakery, AAK. “Palm oil has a balanced fatty acid composition, where the level of saturated fatty acids is almost equal to that of the unsaturated fatty acids. In palm kernel oil, the saturated fatty acid content accounts for almost 90% of the total fatty acids, and the remaining 10% of the fatty acids are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.”
Both oils can be fractionated by separating the liquid (palm olein) and solid (palm stearin) components through a series of cooling and filtration steps, according to Ms. Lofgren. “Each fraction differs in fatty acid composition and has a unique melting point, which is critical for achieving the desired function for the application,” she said. “All palm oils are non-GMO. We offer certified organic and Non-GMO Project Verified versions.”
All those saturates provide a functionality not present in other vegetable oils. “Palm oil by itself is naturally a shortening similar to butter and can be used in a wide range of baked goods,” said Gerald McNeil, PhD, vice-president of R&D, IOI Loders Croklaan.
Lastly, coconut oil has been gaining momentum in the health-and-wellness sector thanks to its purported health benefits. These include building immunity, aiding digestion and decreasing oxidative stress on the body. More than 90% of coconut oil consists of saturated fatty acids, making it a very stable fat for baking. Due to its saturated fat content, it had long been treated as an unhealthful fat; however, studies show that its unique combination of mostly medium-chain fatty acids, namely lauric acid, assimilates well in the body and offers many wellness benefits.
Though industrial volumes may be limited, smaller bakeries are finding success with coconut oil. Organic as well as expeller-pressed options are available.
The fats and oils industry continues to grow as it evolves. Many of these next-generation fats and oils are being blended or further processed into shortenings or more functional fats for bakers. As the industry advances, label-reading consumers become more educated. It’s never been more important to choose the right lipid for your baked goods.
Find resources for variety fats and oils by visiting www.esourcebaking.com. Browse by category under Ingredients, and click on Major for listings.
