You may be fully aware that different cooking oils have different properties and flavours, for example, those with a higher smoke point like sunflower, rapeseed and olive oil are better for roasting and frying, whereas virgin/cold-pressed oils are better kept for use in salad dressings and for drizzling.
But then, there is the media hype – coconut oil being endorsed by celebrities as the latest ‘superfood’ when in reality it contains more saturated fat than butter or lard! There is in fact very limited evidence for the beneficial health effects of coconut oil which is really driven by marketing and not science! A small amount of fat in the diet is essential of course, to help us absorb fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, but many of us are consuming too much saturated fat. Earlier this year the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition published their report on the role of saturated fats and health concluding that the current dietary advice did not need to change – in that saturated fats should not exceed around 10% of total food energy. Swapping saturated fats with unsaturated fats has been found to lower levels of blood cholesterol which in turn lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke and although we all need to take action, food manufacturers and caterers have a particular responsibility in helping people to do this.
So, what can you, as a food producer do when it comes to choosing your cooking oil?
Swapping to an oil higher in monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat will not only help to reduce the overall saturated fat content of your products, but could also save you money as well!
However, fatty acids are sensitive to heat, light and oxygen so treat them with care during storage. Cooking can also change the chemical structure which not only can produce ‘off flavours’ but leads to the destruction of vitamins and loss of nutritional value.
And finally, remember – all oils are calorie-dense and should be used sparingly, so it’s also a good idea to look for ways to reduce or replace the amount of fats and oils you use in producing your foods.
AB Food Nutrition works with manufacturers to provide nutrient composition values of their products for labelling or menu boards and also during product development or reformulation. We can work with you to assess the impact recipe changes will have on nutritional content as well as advising on ways to achieve a desired nutritional profile such as reducing saturated fat in addition to advising on which nutrition or health claims you can use in product marketing. Contact Anne for further information about our nutrition and labelling services.