(Press-News.org) WASHINGTON, March 25, 2025 – Butter is a key ingredient in many baked goods, but for those who are lactose intolerant, finding a good alternative can be a challenge. Vegan butters can sometimes have the wrong consistency, or produce bakes that are not quite right, leaving bakers frustrated or unwilling to try dairy-free alternatives.
In Physics of Fluids, by AIP Publishing, researchers from the University of Strathclyde examined the properties of several vegan or dairy-free butter alternatives inside one of the region’s most well-known snacks: Scottish shortbread.
“We have a Ph.D. student in the group who is a vegan, and he turns all of our baking habits upside down,” said author Juliane Simmchen. “One day I bought some vegan butter alternatives, and I thought, ‘This doesn't look anything like it should.’”
Perplexed by the difference in consistency, Simmchen and her colleagues decided to test these alternatives using the equipment in their lab. They selected three types of vegan butter substitutes with different levels of fat and compared their consistencies and responses to heat. Following those experiments, they moved on to taste testing with actual biscuits.
The researchers gathered a few dozen volunteers to sample shortbread cookies baked with dairy butter and the vegan alternatives. Their goal was to find the vegan butter that produced a biscuit closest to the traditional shortbread, and here there was a clear winner.
“When comparing the vegan alternatives, the one with the highest fat content gave the most positive results from the testers,” said Simmchen. “It behaved very similar to butter, which also has a high fat content. The one with the lowest fat content made a very different dough. It didn't bake that well, and was more doughy and less crumbly. Many people strongly disliked it.”
Butter typically has a fat content around 80%, and Simmchen recommends choosing a vegan butter with a similar consistency.
As for why people should bake vegan cookies in the first place, Simmchen believes that baked goods are better when they can be shared with everyone. If she has a choice, she now prefers vegan bakes.
“I really like the traditional Scottish shortbread, but I'm adapting my recipes with vegan options because they’re more inclusive,” said Simmchen. “If I can make something of a similar quality and have more people participate, then I go for the vegan option.”
###
END
The best butter for a vegan shortbread
Experimental tests determine the optimal fat content of vegan butter to bake the Scottish staple.
2025-03-25
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Recovery potential in patients after cardiac arrest who die after limitations or withdrawal of life support.
2025-03-25
About The Study: In this cohort study of comatose patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest, most who died after withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy were considered by experts to have had recovery potential. These findings suggest that novel solutions to avoiding deaths based on biased prognostication or incomplete information are needed.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jonathan Elmer, MD, MS, email elmerjp@upmc.edu.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/
(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.1714)
Editor’s Note: Please ...
LGBTQ+ inclusive policies, nurse job outcomes, and quality of care in hospitals.
2025-03-25
About The Study: Nurses in hospitals with high lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) inclusion reported more favorable job outcomes and care quality in this cross-sectional study. Hospitals should understand that implementing LGBTQ+ inclusive policies goes beyond compliance or diversity; it is essential for improving the work climate, enhancing staff well-being, and optimizing care delivery.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Hyunmin Yu, PhD, email hyuy@nursing.upenn.edu.
To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media ...
C. diff uses toxic compound to fuel growth advantage
2025-03-25
The pathogen C. diff — the most common cause of health care-associated infectious diarrhea — can use a compound that kills the human gut’s resident microbes to survive and grow, giving it a competitive advantage in the infected gut.
A team led by investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has discovered how C. diff (Clostridioides difficile) converts the poisonous compound 4-thiouracil, which could come from foods like broccoli, into a usable nutrient. Their findings, published March 25 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, increase ...
Nation of Lifesavers™ takes CPR education to Japan
2025-03-25
DALLAS, March 25, 2025 — Understanding how to properly respond in a cardiac emergency when seconds matter is critical to everyone, everywhere. That is why the American Heart Association, devoted to changing the future to a world of healthier lives for all, and its Nation of Lifesavers™ national ambassador and Buffalo Bills safety, Damar Hamlin, are expanding the Chasing M’s Foundation cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) tour to Tokyo during March 27-30. This work is supporting the American Heart Association’s impact goal to improve survival rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest[1].
“Our national Nation ...
ACS study finds nearly four million pre-mature lung cancer deaths in U.S. averted and 76 million years of lives gained due to tobacco control
2025-03-25
New research led by American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers estimates more than 3.8 million lung cancer deaths were averted and a little over 76 million years of life gained in the United States during 1970-2022 due to substantial reductions in smoking prevalence driven by tobacco control. The study is published today in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
“The substantial estimated numbers of averted lung cancer deaths and person-years of life gained highlight the remarkable effect of progress ...
PCSK9 and APOA4: the dynamic duo in TMAO-induced cholesterol metabolism and cholelithiasis
2025-03-25
Background and Aims
Cholesterol synthesis and gallstone formation are promoted by trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a derivative of trimethylamine, which is a metabolite of gut microbiota. However, the underlying mechanisms of TMAO-induced lithogenesis remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to explore the specific molecular mechanisms through which TMAO promotes gallstone formation.
Methods
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to compare serum concentrations of TMAO, apolipoprotein A4 (APOA4), and ...
Gas injection setup in new fusion system is guided by public-private research
2025-03-25
When the plasma inside a fusion system starts to misbehave, it needs to be quickly cooled to prevent damage to the device. Researchers at Commonwealth Fusion Systems believe the best bet is a massive gas injection: essentially, a well-timed, rapid blast of cooling gas inside their fusion system, which is known as SPARC. But how many gas valves does it take to quickly tame a plasma that is hotter than the sun? The team has to strike the perfect balance: with too few valves, some parts of SPARC might overheat. With too many, valuable space inside the ...
Offering paid time off dramatically cuts odds of employees quitting their jobs
2025-03-25
About 4.5 million workers in the United States quit their jobs in 2022, continuing a trend that began after the 2007 Great Recession. Despite better labor conditions and the pandemic’s decline, many adults are still less willing to return to work compared to previous recessions, making it harder for companies to attract and retain top talent. Moreover, voluntary turnover – when an employee quits their job as opposed to being fired or laid off – costs U.S. businesses more than $1 trillion each year.
Beyond recruitment and training expenses, turnover disrupts operations, damages customer relationships, and often leads to further departures. Replacing an employee ...
City of Hope opens phase 1 clinical trial aiming to one day transform rectal cancer into a disease treatable with radiation therapy to avoid potential long-term side effects of surgery
2025-03-25
LOS ANGELES — City of Hope®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. with its National Medical Center named top 5 in the nation for cancer by U.S. News & World Report, has opened a phase 1 trial seeking to one day transform rectal cancer from a mostly radiation-resistant disease to one that can be cured using radiation and chemotherapy.
“Many cancers are cured through radiation therapy alone or radiation in combination with chemotherapy, including — but not limited to — prostate, head and ...
Maternal deaths from cardiovascular causes on the rise in U.S.
2025-03-25
The rate of maternal mortality related to cardiovascular causes more than doubled between 1999 and 2022 in the United States, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.25).
The finding is concerning, especially as the U.S. has the highest overall rate of maternal mortality among all developed countries, researchers said. Since cardiovascular problems are a leading cause of death around the time of pregnancy and childbirth, the new findings shed light on the drivers behind recent trends and draw attention to particularly high rates of mortality seen among ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Government of Guyana, Mount Sinai Health System and Hess Corporation announce five-year extension of national healthcare initiative.
Preclinical study: after heart attack, a boost in anti-inflammatory cells promoted healing
Glucose revealed as a master regulator of tissue regeneration in Stanford Medicine study
Open-label placebo appears to reduce premenstrual symptoms, study suggests
New mums advised to do two hours of moderate to vigorous exercise a week
Milk as Medicine: New Study Shows Breast Milk Transforms Challenges into Triumphs
CU Cancer Center researchers identify the ‘switch’ that allows intestinal cells to regenerate after injury
Special issue of Academic Emergency Medicine explores the science of errors in emergency care
Organoid fusions as models to study meninges-brain signaling
A multimodal light manipulator
OU researcher leverages technology for alcohol disorder interventions in primary care
Automated lead nurturing boosts sales—but only under the right conditions
Lessons from Venezuela’s democratic collapse: How opposition movements can defy autocratic leaders
USU ecologists document Utah's bee species and say beehive state is rich in bee diversity
A hit of dopamine tells baby birds when their song practice is paying off
Basketball analytics investment is key to NBA wins and other successes
Scientific cooperation is strategic for Brazil to strengthen relations with Europe
Engineering antibodies with a novel fusion protein
Transforming cardiovascular care through upfront combination therapy
URI to host international XV Progress in Motor Control Conference
How Zika virus knocks out our immune defenses
Could an arthritis drug unlock lasting relief from epilepsy and seizures? UW–Madison researchers see promising results in mice
SCAI announces 2025-26 recipients of JSCAI Editorial Fellowship Program
Study unravels mystery of cancer-fueling enzyme—could lead to new therapies
Lupus-related antibody shows promise in enhancing cancer treatment efficacy
BESSY II: Magnetic ‘microflowers’ enhance local magnetic fields
New study may help predict cardiometabolic disease risk and personalize prevention strategies
The Frontiers of Knowledge Award goes to Avelino Corma, John Hartwig and Helmut Schwarz for their founding work on the catalysts that are enabling a more efficient, sustainable chemistry
New software finds aging cells that contribute to disease and health risks
UTA inventors recognized worldwide for innovations
[Press-News.org] The best butter for a vegan shortbreadExperimental tests determine the optimal fat content of vegan butter to bake the Scottish staple.