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

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the chemical changes in cooking oils, such as vegetable and palm oil, before and after heavy frying. It highlights that unsaturated bonds in these oils can convert to saturated bonds during cooking, affecting their properties. The conversation also addresses the absorption of food particles and the formation of undesirable compounds like acrolein when oils reach their smoke points. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of using oils with high smoke points to minimize health risks and maximize cooking efficiency.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of cooking oil types (e.g., vegetable oil, palm oil)
  • Knowledge of chemical processes such as polymerization and pyrolysis
  • Familiarity with smoke points of various cooking oils
  • Basic concepts of food chemistry and heat stability
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of heat on unsaturated and saturated fats
  • Learn about the smoke points of different cooking oils
  • Investigate the chemical composition of acrolein and its health implications
  • Explore methods for safely reusing cooking oil and its applications
USEFUL FOR

Culinary professionals, food scientists, health-conscious cooks, and anyone interested in the chemical properties of cooking oils and their safe usage in food preparation.

abdulbadii
Messages
43
Reaction score
1
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
 
Chemistry news on Phys.org
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."
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Informative
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jim mcnamara and berkeman
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.
 
  • Informative
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: berkeman and symbolipoint

Similar threads

  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
8K
Replies
9
Views
4K
  • · Replies 78 ·
3
Replies
78
Views
13K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
31K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
7K