Abstract

Studies were carried out to replace bakery shortening with refined rice bran oil in the preparation of muffins. Physico-chemical properties of bakery shortening and rice bran oil were studied. Rice bran oil was found to have a higher content of the essential fatty acid linoleic acid (34.98%) as compared to that of bakery shortening (5.14%). Chemical composition of wheat flour used was also studied. Muffin samples were prepared by replacing bakery shortening with rice bran oil at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% levels. Muffins were examined for quality that is weight, volume and specific volume and organoleptic quality that is appearance, colour, texture, flavour and overall acceptability on a 9 point hedonic scale. Statistical analysis revealed that muffin making and organoleptic quality of muffins prepared after replacing rice bran oil at the 50% level or greater varied significantly which is desirable from that of control. Statistically significant variations were observed in the texture of muffins prepared with shortening alone from that prepared after replacing bakery shortening with rice bran oil at 50% level. 

Key words: Muffin, organoleptic quality, rice bran oil, shortening, texture.