Tempering shortenings

Performance characteristics equivalent to well-tempered shortenings with only 24 h conditioning have been claimed for the quick temper products (32). These systems have been accepted by some shortening processors, but the standard tempering procedures are still practiced by many for shortenings requiring a wide plastic range. 

The process flow diagram for an automatic bakery shortening system is shown in Figure 21. The heart of the processing system is a standard A and B unit combination. A C unit can be added after the B unit for additional temperature control, crystal stabilization, and product flexibility. Shortening from the B unit is transferred to and held in agitated, jacketed tempering tanks until properly... 

The crystal structure of a shortening or other fat-based product is determined by (1) source oil composition, (2) processing, and (3) tempering or maturing. Crystallization is induced when melted fat is cooled rapidly to initiate the formation of crystal nuclei or seed. The seeds form templates upon which crystals grow. Formulation, cooling rate, heat of crystallization, and agitation levels affect the number and type of crystals formed. 

While the process is fairly straightforward, a properly produced shortening requires judicious control over the chilling, plasticizing, and tempering operations to make it into a satisfactory product. Control of the SSHE equipment, which is... 

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