USA – The privately-owned global corporation, Cargill has launched a new line of palm oil shortening to meet a range of challenges witnessed by bakers in various applications.
Developed by a team of 1,500 food scientists, the new product called PalmAgility™ can be used in making cookies, pies, donuts and crème filings.
The product is available in four variants that is, All-Purpose Shortening, Filling Fat Shortening, PalmAgility 213 and 217 Donut Frying Shortenings.
The company said the shortening was tested at its Food Innovation Center and has proved to help reduce brittleness across a wider temperature range, allowing customers to store it easily without sacrificing workability or texture.
It also helps address challenges experienced during transportation including temperature regulations, thus the product reaches the end customer without worry of quality or damage.
“Bakery customers face a variety of challenges with standard palm shortenings from transportation to storage to performance.
PalmAgility’s virtue is that it is a single solution that helps address these multiple bakery performance needs,” said John Satumba, R&D director for Cargill’s global edible oils business in North America.
According to Cargill, PalmAgility provides a smooth and creamier texture and aids in faster mixing time and better incorporation of ingredients, both of which are easier on baking equipment.
Compared to standard palm oil shortenings, it has faster crystallization rate and also helps to increase control, and reduce the spread of fillings.
Use of palm oil shortening is getting favor from the industry given the regulatory upheavals around use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in food.
Cargill’s PalmAgility is thus a suitable alternative in bakery applications especially those looking to provide consumers with on-trend products without compromising on taste or quality.
“Increasingly, bakery producers want customized solutions that address their specific challenges such as temperature tolerance or melting point,” said Satumba.
“We’ll continue our research and development efforts to expand our PalmAgility line to better meet those needs.”
