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Fat hydrogenation is the process of combining fat—typically, vegetable oils—with hydrogen, in order to make it more saturated to produce solid or semi-solid fats, such as those present in margarine.
The process is typically carried out at very high pressure, with the help of a nickel catalyst.
Changing the degree of saturation of the fat changes some important physical properties, such as the melting range, which is why liquid oils become semi-solid. Solid or semi-solid fats are preferred for baking because the way the fat mixes with flour produces a more desirable texture in the baked product. Because partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are cheaper than animal fats, they are available in a wide range of consistencies, and have other desirable characteristics , they are the predominant fats used as shortening in most commercial baked goods.