Smoke point

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The smoke point, also referred to as the burning point, is the temperature at which an oil or fat begins to produce a continuous bluish smoke that becomes clearly visible, dependent upon specific and defined conditions. [1] Smoke point values can vary greatly, depending on factors such as the volume of oil utilized, the size of the container, the presence of air currents, the type and source of light as well as the quality of the oil and its acidity content, otherwise known as free fatty acid (FFA) content. [2] The more FFA an oil contains, the quicker it will break down and start smoking. [2] [3] The lower the value of FFA, the higher the smoke point. [4] However, the FFA content typically represents less than 1% of the total oil and consequently renders smoke point a poor indicator of the capacity of a fat or oil to withstand heat. [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Temperature

The smoke point of an oil correlates with its level of refinement. [7] [8] Many cooking oils have smoke points above standard home cooking temperatures: [9]

Smoke point decreases at different pace in different oils. [10]

Considerably above the temperature of the smoke point is the flash point, the point at which the vapours from the oil can ignite in air, given an ignition source.

The following table presents smoke points of various fats and oils.

FatQualitySmoke point [caution 1]
Almond oil 221 °C430 °F [11]
Avocado oil Refined271 °C520 °F [12] [13]
Avocado oil Unrefined250 °C482 °F [14]
Beef tallow 250 °C480 °F
Butter 150 °C302 °F [15]
Butter Clarified250 °C482 °F [16]
Castor oil Refined200 °C [17] 392 °F
Coconut oil Refined, dry204 °C400 °F [18]
Coconut oil Unrefined, dry expeller pressed, virgin177 °C350 °F [18]
Corn oil 230–238 °C [19] 446–460 °F
Corn oil Unrefined178 °C [17] 352 °F
Cottonseed oil Refined, bleached, deodorized220–230 °C [20] 428–446 °F
Flaxseed oil Unrefined107 °C225 °F [13]
Grape seed oil 216 °C421 °F
Lard 190 °C374 °F [15]
Mustard oil 250 °C480 °F [21]
Olive oil Refined199–243 °C390–470 °F [22]
Olive oil Virgin210 °C410 °F
Olive oil Extra virgin, low acidity, high quality207 °C405 °F [13] [23]
Olive oil Extra virgin190 °C374 °F [23]
Palm oil Fractionated235 °C [24] 455 °F
Peanut oil Refined232 °C [13] 450 °F
Peanut oil 227–229 °C [13] [25] 441–445 °F
Peanut oil Unrefined160 °C [13] 320 °F
Pecan oil 243 °C [26] 470 °F
Rapeseed oil (Canola)220–230 °C [27] 428–446 °F
Rapeseed oil (Canola)Expeller press190–232 °C375–450 °F [28]
Rapeseed oil (Canola)Refined204 °C400 °F
Rapeseed oil (Canola)Unrefined107 °C225 °F
Rice bran oil Refined232 °C [29] 450 °F
Safflower oil Unrefined107 °C225 °F [13]
Safflower oil Semirefined160 °C320 °F [13]
Safflower oil Refined266 °C510 °F [13]
Sesame oil Unrefined177 °C350 °F [13]
Sesame oil Semirefined232 °C450 °F [13]
Soybean oil 234 °C [30] 453 °F
Sunflower oil Neutralized, dewaxed, bleached & deodorized252–254 °C [31] 486–489 °F
Sunflower oil Semirefined232 °C [13] 450 °F
Sunflower oil 227 °C [13] 441 °F
Sunflower oil Unrefined, first cold-pressed, raw107 °C [32] 225 °F
Sunflower oil, high oleic Refined232 °C450 °F [13]
Sunflower oil, high oleic Unrefined160 °C320 °F [13]
Vegetable oil blendRefined220 °C [23] 428 °F
  1. Specified smoke, fire, and flash points of any fat and oil can be misleading: they depend almost entirely upon the free fatty acid content, which increases during storage or use. The smoke point of fats and oils decreases when they are at least partially split into free fatty acids and glycerol; the glycerol portion decomposes to form acrolein, which is the major source of the smoke evolved from heated fats and oils. A partially hydrolyzed oil therefore smokes at a lower temperature than non-hydrolyzed oil. (Adapted from Gunstone, Frank D., ed. (17 March 2011). Vegetable Oils in Food Technology: Composition, Properties and Uses. Wiley, Inc. OCLC   1083187382.)

Oxidative stability

Hydrolysis and oxidation are the two primary degradation processes that occur in an oil during cooking. [10] Oxidative stability is how resistant an oil is to reacting with oxygen, breaking down and potentially producing harmful compounds while exposed to continuous heat. Oxidative stability is the best predictor of how an oil behaves during cooking. [33] [34] [35]

The Rancimat method is one of the most common methods for testing oxidative stability in oils. [35] This determination entails speeding up the oxidation process in the oil (under heat and forced air), which enables its stability to be evaluated by monitoring volatile substances associated with rancidity. It is measured as "induction time" and recorded as total hours before the oil breaks down. Canola oil requires 7.5 hours, for example, whereas extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and virgin coconut oil will last over a day at 110 °C of continuous heat. [9] The differing stabilities correlate with lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are more prone to oxidation. EVOO is high in monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, conferring stability. Some plant cultivars have been bred to produce "high-oleic" oils with more monounsaturated oleic acid and less polyunsaturated linoleic acid for enhanced stability. [9]

The oxidative stability does not directly correspond to the smoke point and thus the latter cannot be used as a reference for safe and healthy cooking. [36]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vegetable oil</span> Oil extracted from seeds or from other parts of fruits

Vegetable oils, or vegetable fats, are oils extracted from seeds or from other parts of fruits. Like animal fats, vegetable fats are mixtures of triglycerides. Soybean oil, grape seed oil, and cocoa butter are examples of seed oils, or fats from seeds. Olive oil, palm oil, and rice bran oil are examples of fats from other parts of fruits. In common usage, vegetable oil may refer exclusively to vegetable fats which are liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oils are usually edible.

Rancidification is the process of complete or incomplete autoxidation or hydrolysis of fats and oils when exposed to air, light, moisture, or bacterial action, producing short-chain aldehydes, ketones and free fatty acids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coconut oil</span> Edible oil derived from coconut

Coconut oil is an edible oil derived from the kernels, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat below around 25 °C (77 °F), and a clear thin liquid oil in warmer climates. Unrefined varieties have a distinct coconut aroma. Coconut oil is used as a food oil, and in industrial applications for cosmetics and detergent production. The oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linseed oil</span> Oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant

Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil, is a colourless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant. The oil is obtained by pressing, sometimes followed by solvent extraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hemp oil</span> Oil from hemp seeds

Hemp oil is oil obtained by pressing hemp seeds. Cold pressed, unrefined hemp oil is dark to clear light green in color, with a nutty flavor. The darker the color, the grassier the flavour. It should not be confused with hash oil, a tetrahydrocannabinol-containing oil made from the Cannabis flower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grape seed oil</span> Liquid fat derived from grape seeds

Grape seed oil is a vegetable oil derived from the seeds of grapes. A by-product of the winemaking industry, it is typically used for edible applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottonseed oil</span> Cooking oil

Cottonseed oil is cooking oil from the seeds of cotton plants of various species, mainly Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium herbaceum, that are grown for cotton fiber, animal feed, and oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oleic acid</span> Monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid

Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colorless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. In chemical terms, oleic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid, abbreviated with a lipid number of 18:1 cis-9, and a main product of Δ9-desaturase. It has the formula CH3−(CH2)7−CH=CH−(CH2)7−COOH. The name derives from the Latin word oleum, which means oil. It is the most common fatty acid in nature. The salts and esters of oleic acid are called oleates. It is a common component of oils, and thus occurs in many types of food, as well as in soap.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omega-6 fatty acid</span> Fatty acids where the sixth bond is double

Omega-6 fatty acids are a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids that have in common a final carbon-carbon double bond in the n-6 position, that is, the sixth bond, counting from the methyl end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peanut oil</span> Mild-tasting vegetable oil derived from peanuts

Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a vegetable oil derived from peanuts. The oil usually has a mild or neutral flavor but, if made with roasted peanuts, has a stronger peanut flavor and aroma. It is often used in American, Chinese, Indian, African and Southeast Asian cuisine, both for general cooking and in the case of roasted oil, for added flavor. Peanut oil has a high smoke point relative to many other cooking oils, so it is commonly used for frying foods.

In chemistry, acid value is a number used to quantify the acidity of a given chemical substance. It is the quantity of base, expressed as milligrams of KOH required to neutralize the acidic constituents in 1 gram of a sample. The acid value measures the acidity of water-insoluble substances like oils, fats, waxes and resins, which do not have a pH value.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rice bran oil</span> Oil extracted from the hard outer brown layer of rice

Rice bran oil is the oil extracted from the hard outer brown layer of rice called bran. It is known for its high smoke point of 232 °C (450 °F) and mild flavor, making it suitable for high-temperature cooking methods such as stir frying and deep frying. It is popular as a cooking oil in East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Southern China and Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corn oil</span> Oil from the seeds of corn

Corn oil or maize oil (British) is oil extracted from the germ of corn (maize). Its main use is in cooking, where its high smoke point makes refined corn oil a valuable frying oil. It is also a key ingredient in some margarines. Corn oil is generally less expensive than most other types of vegetable oils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soybean oil</span> Oil obtained from seeds of soya plant

Soybean oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the soybean. It is one of the most widely consumed cooking oils and the second most consumed vegetable oil. As a drying oil, processed soybean oil is also used as a base for printing inks and oil paints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunflower oil</span> Oil pressed from the seed of Helianthus annuus

Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil pressed from the seeds of the sunflower. Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avocado oil</span> Edible oil pressed from the pulp of avocados

Avocado oil is an edible oil extracted from the pulp of avocados, the fruit of Persea americana. It is used as an edible oil both raw and for cooking, where it is noted for its high smoke point. It is also used for lubrication and in cosmetics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lard</span> Semi-solid white pork fat product

Lard is a semi-solid white fat product obtained by rendering the fatty tissue of a pig. It is distinguished from tallow, a similar product derived from fat of cattle or sheep.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shallow frying</span> Cooking by immersion in reduced amounts of hot oil

Shallow frying is a hot oil-based cooking technique. It is typically used to prepare portion-sized cuts of meat, fish, potatoes and patties such as fritters. Shallow frying can also be used to cook vegetables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooking oil</span> Oil consumed by humans, of vegetable or animal origin

Cooking oil is a plant or animal liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. Oil allows higher cooking temperatures than water, making cooking faster and more flavorful, while likewise distributing heat, reducing burning and uneven cooking. It sometimes imparts its own flavor. Cooking oil is also used in food preparation and flavoring not involving heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapeseed oil</span> Vegetable oil

Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historically, it was restricted as a food oil due to its content of erucic acid, which in laboratory studies was shown to be damaging to the cardiac muscle of laboratory animals in high quantities and which imparts a bitter taste, and glucosinolates, which made many parts of the plant less nutritious in animal feed. Rapeseed oil from standard cultivars can contain up to 54% erucic acid.

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