The aim of this research was to evaluate the performance of palm-based fluid shortening on the quality of biscuits in comparison to the control biscuits produced with solid shortening and refined, bleached and deodourised (RBD) palm olein. Solid shortening had the highest content of saturated fatty acids mainly palmitic acid while RBD palm olein contains the highest amount of dominant unsaturated fatty acid which is oleic acid. The fatty acid composition showed an absence of trisaturated fatty acid in RBD palm olein. The hardness of the dough, biscuit dimensions and physical properties were evaluated. The dough of the biscuit containing solid shortening was the stiffest and highest in weight as compared to the dough of the biscuit containing fluid shortening and RBD palm olein. The values for diameter, length, thickness and spread ratio varied significantly (P≤0.05). The study has demonstrated that the weight, thickness, spread ratio, moisture content and hardness of biscuits containing fluid shortening were insignificantly different (P>0.05) with the biscuits containing solid shortening. Biscuits containing solid shortening had the highest lightness value (L*). Thus, the results indicated that the performance of the fluid shortening in biscuits is comparable with solid shortening.

Fresh, in-use regardless the days of frying and discarded oils were collected from fast food restaurants in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia to investigate the quality of the frying oil used in the commercial frying industries. The fresh oils used in these restaurants were palm olein and/or palm oil. Oxidative stability index (OSI), smoke point, colour, free fatty acid (FFA), polar compound, peroxide value (PV) and ρ-anisidine value (ρ-AV) were evaluated. The fresh oils showed quality that is within specification of standards and references. The in-use oils showed a high degree of deterioration by having a lower OSI, smoke point, and darker colour. High levels of FFA showed that 42.9% of in-use oils and 100% of discarded oils had exceeded the maximum limit of 1%. Polar compound of 42.9% of the in-use oils and 50% of the discarded oils had exceeded the maximum limit (>27%). As high as 81% of the in-use oils and 75% of the discarded oil collected having ρ-AV of more than 10 which suggests that inspection by the local authority should be carried out to monitor the quality of the cooking oil used in the fast food restaurants.