What is the difference in cooking oil before and after frying heavily?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the differences in cooking oils (such as vegetable and palm oil) before and after heavy frying or cooking. Participants seek a scientific explanation of the chemical changes that occur during this process, including the implications for the oil's properties and potential uses afterward.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that unsaturated bonds in cooking oils may turn into saturated bonds after heavy cooking, though this claim lacks clarity and reliable sources.
  • One participant introduces the concept of pyrolysis but questions its adequacy in explaining the changes in cooking oil, emphasizing the absorption of food components and the complexity of chemical processes involved.
  • There is mention of polymerization and combination processes occurring in the oil during cooking, indicating that the changes are not solely about breaking down the oil.
  • Concerns are raised about the formation of acrolein when cooking oil smokes, leading to recommendations for using oils with higher smoke points to mitigate this issue.
  • Some participants discuss potential alternative uses for used cooking oil, such as lubrication or wood preservation, although there are reservations about these applications.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the chemical processes involved in cooking oil changes, with no consensus on the specifics of these transformations or the implications for oil reuse.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations in understanding the precise chemical changes, the dependence on specific oil types, and the variability in cooking conditions that may affect outcomes.

abdulbadii
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TL;DR
The difference frying oil before and after heavy frying/cooking
What's actually details in difference of any cooking oil (vegetable, palm oil, etc) before and after exhaustive/heavy cooking ?
As only heard not clear or reliable folks' says, the many unsaturated bonds turns to be saturated afterward..
The need arose as it's quite affirmed that the former is so good as lubricating/penetrating oil, but not sure the difference if the same work performed by the used one, so need this scientifically explanation/arguments
 
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abdulbadii said:
Summary:: The difference frying oil before and after heavy frying/cooking

What's actually details in difference of any cooking oil (vegetable, palm oil, etc) before and after exhaustive/heavy cooking ?
As only heard not clear or reliable folks' says, the many unsaturated bonds turns to be saturated afterward..
The need arose as it's quite affirmed that the former is so good as lubricating/penetrating oil, but not sure the difference if the same work performed by the used one, so need this scientifically explanation/arguments
See "pyrolysis."
 
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I think pyrolisis is not exactly adequate for this. During usage the cooking oil absorbs some parts of the food (water, fats, small solid pieces) with quite diverse chemical properties and heat stability. What happens afterwards is a complex process of not only breaking down but quite amount of polymerization and combination.
abdulbadii said:
The need arose as it's quite affirmed that the former is so good as lubricating/penetrating oil
If it's a run down bicycle where the proper lubrication would double it's worth, then maybe. But I would not use it for anything else.

The most creative 'raw' usage I have heard so far was for wood preservation. Somebody told me that it kills wood bugs some marvelously.
I've stopped buying from fry food stands after that conversation, though.
 
When cooking oil smokes during cooking it will create small amounts of acrolein which is undesirable from several viewpoints, so experienced cooks use oils with high smoke points to avoid this problem.

See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrolein

Smoke point examples in deg C, oil names may vary by country:
Canola oil - 205
Olive oil- 240
Flax seed oil - 107 - not recommended for frying.

This discusses cooking oil reuse, mixing, smoke points, rancidity, etc. And lists most oils and some properties --
See:
https://www.seriouseats.com/cooking-fats-101-whats-a-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter.
 
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