Baking&Snack - February 2014 - 76

FATS & OILS

molecule attaches. Thus, the least stable fatty acids are
those that have a long carbon chain with multiple double
bonds.
The majority of unsaturated fatty acids in the human
diet contain 18 carbons; however, they can contain as
few as 10 carbons and as many as 22, with the former
mostly found in animal fats and the latter in marine oils.
Scientists use an "omega" nomenclature system that
identifies the fatty acid according to position of the first
carbon double bond counting from the methyl end of
the fatty acid. This helps categorize fatty acids in terms
of function and nutrition.
For example, of the 18-carbon fatty acids, oleic acid
has one double bond starting on the ninth
carbon from the methyl end and is appropriately referred to as an omega-9 fatty
acid. The length of this carbon chain, couIn a move that could ultimately affect how many baked foods are made,
pled with a single double bond, renders
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published its preliminary
oleic acid a much more stable unsaturated
determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) - the primary difatty acid than many of the others that are
etary source of artificial trans-fatty acids - are not generally recognized
abundant in the food supply. This includes
as safe (GRAS) for use in food, based on available scientific evidence
linoleic acid and linolenic acid, also often
and the findings of expert scientific panels. The notice appeared in the
referred to as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Federal Register of Nov. 8.
Both of these are 18-carbon fatty acids with
At the time, FDA opened a 60-day comment period to collect
linoleic having two double bonds. The first
additional data and gain input on the time potentially needed for food
occurs at the sixth carbon double bond
manufacturers to reformulate products that currently contain artificial
(from the methyl end) and is referred to as
trans-fatty acids. Since then, in response to numerous requests for adan omega-6, while ALA has three double
ditional time, the agency extended the comment period to March 8.
bonds and is classified as an omega-3, with
If FDA finalizes its preliminary determination, PHOs would be conthe first double bond occurring at the third
sidered "food additives" and could not be used in food unless authocarbon.
rized by regulation. An appropriate amount of time would be provided
Two other popular omega-3 fatty acids
so manufacturers could reformulate their products. "Sustainability
are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which has
and supply issues are also a concern, said Lee Sanders, senior vice"
a 20-carbon chain and five double bonds,
president, government relations and public affairs, American Bakers
and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which
Association. "Commercialization takes time as does product reformulahas a 22-carbon chain and six double
tion using new ingredients.
"
bonds. This abundance of double bonds
Don Banks, oils expert and consultant to Qualisoy and the United
renders these fatty acids highly unstable in
Soybean Board, said the industry is a little closer to being ready but
certain food applications where high heat
needs at least 18 to 24 months. "Given enough time, alternatives to
accelerates oxidation, such as in an oven.
PHOs can be implemented for the baking and snack industries, Mr.
"
Unfortunately, these are two of the more
Banks said. "Interesterified oil is a potential replacement for almost all
healthful fatty acids for humans.
current PHOs being used, and high-oleic soybean oils can be blended
rather than in the naturally occurring "cis" configuration. Although trans fats occur naturally in animal fats,
none are found in unprocessed vegetable oils. The trans
orientation makes the fatty acid less flexible, with more
solid-like properties. Because of health concerns, such
man-made trans-fatty acids are being phased out of the
food supply and may very soon be stripped of their generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status. (See "Ban on
trans gets political" below.)
Saturated fatty acids are typically solid at room temperature and inherently the most stable type of fatty
acid. Stability refers to susceptibility to oxidation, which
takes place when a double bond breaks and an oxygen

Ban on trans gets political

with interesterified soy. The enzymatic interesterification process creates hard fat from commodity soybean oil with similar results as hydrogenation but without the trans fat. Most baking applications that used
PHOs prior to 2006 can replace that fat system with an interesterified
soybean oil-based blend today.
"
It is important to note that FDA's preliminary determination concerns
only PHOs and does not affect trans-fatty acids that naturally occur in
small amounts in certain meat and dairy products, including butter, a
common fat used in baked goods.

76 Baking & Snack February 2014 / www.bakingandsnack.com

Choosing more healthful oils
In efforts to improve the fatty acid profile
of baked foods, many bakers try to keep
saturated fatty acids low and artificial trans
fatty acids absent. To do this, bakers minimize animal fats and palm kernel and coconut oils because they are concentrated
sources of saturated fatty acids. Likewise
PHOs, which contain trans-fatty acids, are
avoided more and more. Because vegetable

http://www.bakingandsnack.com

Baking&Snack - February 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking&Snack - February 2014