ABSTRACT
Fats and oils play a significant role in the formulation and performance of a variety of prepared foods. Most of America’s favorite foods could not be prepared without fats and oils. This would include pan and deep fat fried foods, baked products, spoonable and pourable salad dressings, nondairy products, whipped toppings, confectionery products, pastries, peanut butter, spreads, and so on, all of which possess desirable properties attributable to the fats and oils ingredients in the formulation. Fats and oils affect the structure, stability, flavor, storage quality, eating characteristics, and eye appeal of the foods prepared. To accomplish the desired performance, the developer must recognize that most applications require a fat or oil product with different physical and organoleptic properties.
