Guest guest Posted December 28, 2002 Report Share Posted December 28, 2002 Some Oils Can Take the Heat JoAnn Guest Feb 28, 2002 11:35 PST Some Oils Can Take the Heat Heat can cause damaging molecular changes in oils, and some oils are better than others at resisting the stress of heat. Polysuperunsaturated oils are fragile under heat, but monounsaturated fats are not. Fresh-pressed, unrefined polyunsaturated and superunsaturated oils are the oils most sensitive to heat. Spectrum Naturals Veg-Omega 3 Flax oil is carefully produced to ensure it contains all the nutrients in the original seed. To preserve these nutrients at home, use this oil at low temperature (32° F to 212° F). For example, in dressings for salads, in dips and sandwich spreads, and on steamed or simmered dishes such as soups, grains and vegetables. Other unrefined oils are suitable for medium-heat applications such as baking and sautéing (255° F to 350° F). Heat above these temperatures can transform the fatty acids and destroy nutrients, such as Vitamin E. Spectrum Naturals' unrefined oils include olive, sesame, and peanut. When cooking at medium-high to high temperatures (325° F to 400° F), use only oils that are partially or fully refined. Spectrum Naturals markets minimally refined canola, safflower, sesame, soy, sunflower, and walnut oils. For high-heat cooking temperatures up to 520° F, refined oils that are high in monounsaturates are best. These include Spectrum Naturals high-oleic safflower, super canola, and avocado oils. High Oleic Oils High oleic varieties are oil hybrids that have been genetically enhanced through selective plant breeding to produce high ratios of oleic acid (omega 9). The rise in oleic acid increases the oil's stability and shelf life. High oleic oils have been bred to reduce polyunsaturated components and increase the monounsaturated content. High oleic oils should have at least 90% of the oleic content similar to olive oil. Olive oil is the benchmark for good culinary oleic- based oils. This means that an oil should be at least 75% oleic by total fat content to be regarded as high oleic. High oleic oils perform well in medium to high heat cooking applications, such as deep frying or high heat sauteing. Using Oils for Best Results As you now know, oils differ in their molecular structure and reactivity. That means each has a special, different role in your diet and an appropriate use in your kitchen. For example, a refined high-oleic safflower oil is ideal for high-temperature wok frying, but Veg-Omega 3 Flax oil would just go up in smoke. Veg-Omega 3 Flax Oil is a supplement oil; use it cold to preserve its nutrient content. Do Oils Go Rancid? Oils spoil (become rancid) after prolonged contact with oxygen, light, and/or heat. You can identify a rancid oil by its unusually strong odor and sharp or bitter flavor. The off-odors are gases produced by the reactive fatty acid molecules; it's nature's way of letting you know the oil is past its prime. Spoilage in refined oils is harder to detect because these oils have had their flavor and odor bodies removed. This makes refined oils far less susceptible to damage from light, heat or oxygen exposure. Although their shelf-life is long (usually 24-30 months), deterioration can occur. Certainly, if you notice an unpleasant odor or flavor in a refined oil, it is a sign of rancidity. To protect your oils from spoilage, store them in a cool, dry place, out of harsh light. Alternatively, keep the oils you use daily in the refrigerator (note that to dissolve the solids in cold, unrefined oils, you can just set the bottle in a bowl of warm tap water). Freezing is a good way to extend shelf life, especially with the super-reactive supplement oils (with essential fatty acids) sold in plastic containers. Be careful, however, if you store glass bottles in the freezer, because the glass will become fragile. It's also wise to purchase oils in small sized bottles, because fresher oils are healthier oils. Storage Guide To safeguard the nutritive value and longevity of your oils, keep them in a cool (40° F to 72° F), dark cupboard until opening, and then store them in your refrigerator. Storage under these conditions provides a shelf life of 10-14 months for unrefined oils, and 14-20 months for refined oils. Freezing can extend an oil's shelf life. Spectrum Essentials packages supplement oils in plastic bottles to give you this option (but be careful if you try freezing oil in glass bottles. To protect Veg-Omega 3 Oil in capsules, Spectrum Essentials uses gelatin coating that provides nearly seed-like protection for the oil. Again, refrigeration is not required but does improve shelf life. http://www.spectrumnaturals.com/naturalsindex.html · Cold Pressed/Processed Oil For a number of years the term cold pressed has been erroneously used to describe oil removal using expeller pressed methods. The term has even been applied to refined oils (which expose oils to high temperatures from 243#176;- 470° F during the refining process). Obviously this is a misnomer to the consumer who assumes cold pressing involves low temperature processing throughout. True cold pressing is legally defined in Europe as oil extraction at temperatures below 50° C, or 122° F, and applied only to fully unrefined oils. True cold pressing occurs in: 1. The ancient method of stone grinding or milling, as in the crushing of olive oils 2. Bladder press extraction, which uses simple compression for fruit oils such as olive or avocado 3. Hydraulic presses, which use simple compression 4. Low resistance expeller pressing, which controls screw worm, drive speeds and feed rates levels to temperatures which do not exceed 122° F. 5. Modified Atmospheric Crushing (MAC) and Modified Atmospheric Packing (MAP), which employ enhanced cooling and refrigeration techniques using modified vegetable oil expeller presses that meet cold pressing temperature standards MAC and MAP processing employs modified expeller presses. However, these presses are designed with in-line cooling devices to insure oils are kept below the temperatures called for in cold pressed oils. Proprietary engineering modifications make it possible to produce cold pressed oils using techniques that are more sophisticated, yet effective or even better than the older technology of simple mechanical cold pressing delivering superior nutritional oils. Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are two fats that the human body cannot synthesize from other organic compounds or foods and are essential for life. They are omega 6 (linoleic acid) and omega 3 (alpha- linolenic acid). These acids are found abundantly in many vegetable oils. Both are classed as polyunsaturated fats. However, the alpha- linolenic acid (omega 3 fraction) is also regarded as a superpolyunsaturate. Proper handling and storage protection is needed as both fatty acids deteriorate rapidly in the presence of heat, light, and oxygen. Spectrum Organic Products, Inc. is committed to the right of consumers to know what is in the foods they eat. We support legislation to require disclosure of any GMO ingredients and/or processing agents. As part of our commitment to human and environmental health, our company has instituted a comprehensive program with the goal of using only non-GMO ingredients in all of our products. We strive to source and sell only ingredients that contain no genetically modified organisms. For those commodities where extensive genetic modification is known to have occurred—i.e., soybeans and canola—we have established a non-GMO verification process utilizing a third party lab. Our organic products are certified as non-GMO by our organic certifier, and independently tested where known genetic drift may be a factor. Since the mid-1980s the entire food industry—from food scientists to growers to manufacturers—has conducted an extensive experiment on the American public. Foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have reached the dinner table without being tested for potential long-range effects and without government regulation. What are GMOs? The Organic Trade Association defines genetically modified organisms as " …made with techniques that alter the molecular or cell biology of an organism by means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes. " Scientists create GMOs by isolating a gene or genes, then penetrating cell nuclei and inserting the foreign genes into the cell, resulting in their incorporation into the DNA of the host cells. GMOs in Controversy Consumer resistance to GMOs is growing at national and international levels, fueled by environmental and health concerns. For many, the central issue is the right for consumers to know what is in the foods they buy. According to Citizens for Health, " Even some of those not opposed to the principle of genetic engineering are concerned that the science and economics of releasing GMO products into the market is outpacing the safety issues of how these new species will affect health and the environment. " GMOs are widely used today, yet we don't yet know what the environmental and health effects may be. It can take years for food allergies and sensitivities to develop. Without explicit assurance of long term safety, fears of a potential Pandora's box are growing. Negative effects including food allergies, threats to beneficial insects, and genetic drift have already been documented. Some scientists are also concerned about the potential creation of " superbugs " and " superweeds " that may devastate future crops. The merging of animal and plant genes that is occurring also creates serious issues for ethnic and religious traditions including the Kosher Laws, which mandate separation of animal products from certain food classes. How to Know it's Non-GMO Due to lack of government oversight, consumers are currently unable to distinguish foods that contain GMOs from those that don't. In fact, current U.S. food labeling laws place constraints upon food companies that want to inform their customers that the foods they produce are free of GMOs. There are two ways to avoid genetically modified organisms. One is to buy products that have been third party certified as organic. Organic certifiers exclude GMO ingredients. The second method is to conduct testing that positively identifies the presence or absence of GMOs. Spectrum has created a model Non-GMO Verification Program for this purpose. The extent of testing required depends upon the ingredient. Where there are no GMO patents on file and where no prior history of bioengineering exists, extensive testing is not necessary. For ingredients where there is or has been active or extensive genetic manipulation, comprehensive testing is required. For example, canola and soybeans have had extensive genetic alteration; therefore, we perform rigorous testing on every lot, including organic varieties. In addition, the entire growing system is inspected and audited. Throughout the process, all seed and oil identified as non-GMO is segregated from untested or GMO-contaminated seed and oil. Certificate of Non-GMO Compliance Spectrum will issue a Certificate of Non-GMO Compliance for all suspect ingredients: " These products have been tested for the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). None have been detected. Detection levels are at one part per million (1ppm) or lower. " Spectrum's Non-GMO Verification Program is a leading-edge program in the natural foods industry and the best in the oil category. Since its inception, it has already proven that it works; our company has been able to identify GMO-containing seed and reject it before the seed was planted. Our program is your assurance that we take your health, that of your family, and that of the environment very seriously. You can be sure that our goal is to sell only non-GMO products, and to have verification in hand to prove it. Notes: 1Organic Trade Association, August 1999 draft of American Organic Standards 2Citizens for Health, October 1999, Regulation, Economics, and Science of GMOs. 3Transgenic pollution, also called pollination pollution, genetic drift or wind drift, occurs when pollen from GMO crops blows into other areas. Organic farmers have reported incidences of crop contamination by GMO materials. For more information about GMOs, you may contact the following organizations: The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods 425 771 4049 lab- Mothers and Others www.mothers.org Citizens for Health www.healthfreedom.com · In the mass market or conventional food industry the majority of vegetable oils sold as bottled product or as a food ingredient are solvent extracted oils. Mass market oils, however, are not labeled as solvent extracted. The predominant role of solvent extraction in commercial vegetable oils is largely economic. The greater efficiencies of solvent extraction is in maximizing yields and profits. That is why it has evolved into the most common form of oil removal. · Stability (oxidative) The relative resistance of a fat, oil, or food products breakdown, or change in character, is called stability. For fats and oils, stability may refer to resistance to oxidation, hydrolysis, rancidity, reversion and formation of off-flavors. · Tempering/Conditioning (cooking) This term means heating seed to uniform temperatures. The purpose of tempering is to remove any residual moisture in the seed so as to be able to obtain higher yields of oil. Most raw nuts, seeds, or bean stock are tempered or preheated using temperatures ranging from 49° C, or 120° F, (as in safflower oil expelling) to 93° C or 16 · Winterization Winterization is the processing of oils to remove waxes, styrenes and sterols. This is achieved by a chilling method using temperatures below 72° C or 45° F, with the addition of a filtering clay to remove phospholipid, stearin, waxes, esters and any solids or remnants in the oil. Winterized oils remove the chilled crystallized solids and result in an oil with a higher melting point. Winterized oils do not cloud in the refrigerator. Typically only fully refined oils are winterized. Unrefined oils can also be winterized on a selective basis. Winterization is an acceptable organic process when restricted to natural material such as diatomaceous earth. 0° F, (as in soy bean expelling). JoAnn Guest mrsjoguest Friendsforhea- http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/AIM.html theaimcompanies " Health is not a Medical Issue " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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