Impact of glycerol and sorbitan monostearate on the lipid composition of low-saturated shortening: Insights from lipidomics and chemometrics

Excessive intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) has been associated with adverse health outcomes, making the development of low-saturated fat alternatives an important research focus. This study evaluated the effects of different glycerol monostearate:sorbitan monostearate (GMS:SMS; 100:0 to 0:100 at 5% and 10%, w/w) ratios on the lipid profile of low-saturated shortening using lipidomic analysis, with chemometric techniques employed to identify significant lipid markers distinguishing the formulations. The 5% GMS:SMS (80:20) formulation showed the most favorable characteristics, with a total SFA content of 11.63% (compared to 12.41% in controls), the lowest peroxide value (5.96 meq/kg), and the highest proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (75.24%). Lipidomic analysis further identified 39 unsaturated lipid species, including PG(22:6/17:2) and PA(8:0/22:5), as key discriminating markers. Chemometric analysis (PCA/PLS-DA) confirmed that lipid profiles effectively differentiated among formulations. Overall, the 5% GMS:SMS (80:20) combination reduced SFA content by 12.4% relative to conventional shortening while maintaining oxidative stability. These findings demonstrate that emulsifier optimization, supported by lipidomic and chemometric profiling, can be a valuable strategy for producing shortenings with improved lipid quality and stability.