For most sensitivity patterns, no. It is graded clean on histamine, gluten, lactose, dairy protein, glutamates, sulfites, nitrites and nickel, and it is low FODMAP. Salicylates sit at borderline, which is the only chemical flag on the page. The realistic caveats are the unnamed base oil and any added flavourings, not the fat itself.

In the US, essentially no. The FDA ruled in 2015 that partially hydrogenated oils are not generally recognised as safe, and manufacturers had to remove them, with final compliance set for 1 January 2021. Shortening is now made with fully hydrogenated oils, interesterified fats or palm blends. Naturally occurring trans fat from ruminant sources is not affected by that rule, and imported or long-shelf-life products are still worth checking on the ingredient list.

Plain vegetable shortening is graded clean on gluten, lactose and dairy protein, so it works as a dairy-free stand-in for butter in pastry and frosting. The exception is butter-flavoured shortening, which adds flavour compounds and occasionally dairy derivatives. Check the label if you are avoiding milk strictly.

It depends on what you need from it. For frying and general cooking, olive oil, sunflower oil and grapeseed oil are all graded cleaner than shortening on the anti-inflammatory axis and clean on salicylates. For baking, where the solid texture matters, you are trading crumb structure for a better fat profile, so expect a softer, less flaky result and adjust the quantity down slightly.