CC BY 4.0 Attribution 4.0 InternationalMora-Gallego, HectorCraddock, RobertEuston, Stephen R.Liddle, CatrionaLonchamp, Julien2025-09-092025-08-28Mora‐Gallego, H., Craddock, R., Euston, S.R., Liddle, C. and Lonchamp, J. (2025) ‘Reformulation of biscuit and oatcake products with nutritional and environmental benefits using a novel palm shortening substitute’, Food Frontiers, p. fft2.70111. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70111.2643-8429https://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/14391https://doi.org/10.1002/fft2.70111Julien Lonchamp - ORCID: 0000-0001-7954-4745 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7954-4745This paper assessed the feasibility of replacing palm shortening with a novel sustainable ingredient composed of rapeseed oil, linseed meal, and beta-glucan (PALM-ALT) in hard-texture bakery products (biscuit and oatcake). There is currently no palm shortening alternative that is functional, sustainable, nutritionally-balanced, and competitive. The PALM-ALT ingredient was characterized by oil droplet size distribution, rheology, confocal microscopy, and scanning-electron microscopy, whilst the biscuits and oatcakes were profiled by sensory, texturometry, colorimetry, water activity, and moisture analyses. The PALM-ALT ingredient exhibited a stable emulsion-gel structure (32 µm oil droplet size, 62 Pa.s viscosity, 40 Pa yield stress). Linseed proteins contributed to the formation and stabilization of oil droplets, whilst linseed mucilage, oat beta-glucan, and aggregates of linseed proteins and/or beta-glucan (observed in the continuous phase) further stabilized the emulsion. Three formulations were prepared with either palm shortening, rapeseed oil, or PALM-ALT. PALM-ALT biscuits and oatcakes respectively showed an 86% and 75% saturated fat reduction in comparison with their palm-based control product. PALM-ALT products displayed similar sensory and instrumental profiles to their palm-based controls, whereas rapeseed oil formulations exhibited significantly different color, odor, and texture profiles than the controls (p < 0.05). Rapeseed oil biscuits showed a lower overall sensory quality than their palm-based control, whilst PALM-ALT oatcakes displayed a higher acceptability than the control and rapeseed oil products (p < 0.05). This study showed that PALM-ALT was able to replace palm shortening in hard-texture bakery formulations with maintenance of their sensory profiles, whilst providing nutritional and sustainability benefits.fft2.70111en© 2025 The Author(s). Food Frontiers published by Nanchang University, Northwest University, Jiangsu University, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, International Association of DieteticNutrition and Safety and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BakeryBeta-glucanLinseed MealPalm ShorteningRapeseed OilSubstituteArticle