The European Food Safety Agency recommends low intakes of saturated fatty acids. This study evaluated
the replacement of 50% and 100% of butter in shortbread cookies with an emulsion filled gel (EFG) based
on inulin and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and investigated its impact on product characteristics (volatile
profile, fracture behaviour and crumb pore size, sensory properties). Cookies containing both 50% and
100% EFG had thinner pore walls than the control cookies, without EFG. The total substitution of butter
with EFG gave products with higher number of small-sized pores and lower level of fracture stress, with
poorer sensory properties than control cookies. The replacement of 50% of the butter fraction of
shortbread with EFG based on inulin and EVOO did not substantially affect cookie microstructure,
compared to control. Cookies with 50% butter replacement showed comparable fracture properties, and
were well accepted by consumers, resulting a product with potentially healthier properties (19% less total
fat, 39% less saturated fats) respect to control cookies.