Everything you need to know about seed oil: varieties, uses in cooking, storage and expiry date…
Explore the diverse world of seed oil: properties, differences and uses in cooking, with tips for an informed choice.
Seed oil is a liquid vegetable fat obtained from the processing and pressing of oilseeds, a food commonly used in cooking and industry. While it is true that in the Italian gastronomic tradition, the spice par excellence is extra virgin olive oil, the true pride of our production, it is also true that olive oil is not the only vegetable oil that we find on the market and that we use in our recipes.
Sunflower, flaxseed, peanuts: there are so many varieties of seed oil, a wide and varied universe of crunchy fried foods, omega-3 fatty acids and mechanical pressing. Thanks to its intensive production and higher yield, seed oil is certainly a cheaper product than olive oil, and some varieties can also be used raw. What is seed oil? How is it produced? What is the best seed oil and how to choose it? Here’s everything you need to know about seed oil.
Seed oil: how is it produced
How is seed oil extracted? While extra virgin olive oil is produced, legally, by cold pressing, the extraction and production of the seed oil can be done in two different ways: by « mechanical pressure » or with the help of chemical solvents. Mechanical cold extraction by pressure allows the nutritional properties of the seeds, which are first pressed and then rectified, to remain unchanged: with this method, a type of oil with a more pleasant taste is obtained and certainly more suitable for cooking. Faster and cheaper, the extraction method with chemical solvents undoubtedly leads to better yields, but the taste and quality of the final product suffers.
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