It has been known for some time that the addition of small amounts of shortening to bread dough leads to improved loaf volume and finer, more uniform crumb structure with thin cell walls. A direct relationship has been shown between the solid/liquid ratio of the shortening and the performance of that fat in the baked product as the proportion of solid (crystalline) fat increased to an optimum level, baking performance also improved. Interestingly, the most effective crystalline fats were those with high melting points that remained solid at the end of proofing