Abstract: A method for producing improved shea fat suitable for hard butter, which comprises treating a raw shea fat with a lower aliphatic alcohol (e.g. ethanol, propanol or isopropanol), removing the alcohol-insoluble portion, cooling the remaining solution to separate into two layers, the upper layer being oil-poor and the lower layer being oil-rich, and collecting the latter oil-rich layer, said lower layer being usually subjected to a solvent fractionation with n-hexane, acetone or methyl ethyl ketone. The improved shea fat is admixed with an intermediate fraction of palm oil to give the desired hard butter having superior tempering properties.

Abstract: Hard butters, which are suitable replacements for cacao butter and which may be used for confectionary products without the occurrence of blooming, are obtained by hydrogenating a soft palm oil fraction having an iodine value of at least 55 with a conventional hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of methionine, whereby at least 40% of the glycerides are trans-isomers (calculated as trielaidine) and, optionally separating the middle-fraction of the hydrogenated product.