What is the smoke point of an oil?

An article by Ferme Tournvent

The smoke point of a edible oil is the temperature at which it begins to decompose and produce visible smoke. Each oil has its own specific smoke point. On the other hand, it is important not to confuse the steam caused by cooking food (the evaporation of the water) and the smoke of an oil that is too heated.

Chemically, what does that mean?

When an oil is heated, its triglycerides (the main molecules that make it up) begin to degrade, releasing free fatty acids and volatile compounds. The latter are responsible for the appearance of smoke and a possible alteration of the taste and odour of food.

Why is that important?

- Health effects: An oil heated beyond its smoke point begins to produce toxic compounds, such as acrolein, which can be irritating to the airways, eyes, skin and are potentially harmful.

- This changes the flavors: A burnt oil can give a bitter or ransom taste to food.

- Effective cooking: Choosing an oil with a suitable smoke point allows better control of cooking and prevents damage to nutrients.

Factors influencing the smoke point

The smoke point varies according to several elements:

The free fatty acid content

• Les Free fatty acids are molecules resulting from the degradation of triglycerides.

• The more an oil contains free fatty acids, the lower its smoke point, as these acids begin to degrade and produce smoke at temperatures below triglycerides.

• A refined oil (with filtration and purification process) contains fewer free fatty acids, increasing its smoke point.

The degree of refining

• Doly-pressed or cold-pressed oils contain natural impurities, enzymes and plant particles that lower the smoke point.

• The refined oils are freed of these compounds, which allows them to reach higher temperatures before smoking.

Fatty acid composition

• Oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g. linseed oil or walnut oil) have a lower smoke point, as these fatty acids are chemically more unstable and sensitive to heat.

• Oils rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (e.g. canola oil or olive oil) have an intermediate smoke point.

• Oils rich in saturated fatty acids (e.g. coconut oil) have a higher smoke point, because the chemical bonds of these fatty acids are more heat-resistant.

Presence of volatile compounds and antioxidants

• Some oils contain volatile compounds (such as phenols and carotenoids) that begin to degrade before the lipids themselves.

• For example, unrefined canola oil (cold-pressed) contains polyphenols which, although beneficial to health, reduce the smoke point compared to a refined canola oil.

Oxidation and ageing of the oil

• An oil that has been poorly stored or reused several times for baking undergoes oxidation, which increases its content of free fatty acids and reduces its smoke point.

Examples of common oil smoke points:

Conclusion and re-communication:

The smoke point is an essential element to be considered when choosing an oil for baking. For high-temperature cooking, if you are looking for unrefined local oil, camelina oil is your best option. If you're also looking for a certified organic oil, our organic cameline oil is for you without hesitation.

For desserts, our organic unrefined canola oil, a versatile oil with a slightly more neutral taste profile, is an excellent choice.

For pumpkin seed oil and hemp oil, it is best to use them for low-temperature cooking, at the end of cooking or cold, for your vinagrets and sauces or as finishing oils.

As long as linseed oil, we strongly recommend that it only be used cold and do not use it for cooking. Its high Omega-3 content makes it very beneficial for health but also very fragile to heat.

In a future paper, we will address another important aspect of oils: what distinguishes an unrefined oil from a refined oil. To be continued.