Oils

There are many different types of oil and they can be catagorised into many sections including mineral, food oils, synthetic and biological oils. A few examples of these include vegetable oils, animal oils, essential oils and crude oil, petroleum and even whale oils!

There are several different types of vegetable, animal oils and fats that are used in cooking and food production. Oil is heated to a temperature much hotter than water for the purpose of frying food such as chips. A lot of oils possess are used for producing flavouring and the health benefits of some are well publicised. These include omega 3, evening primrose and flaxseed oils. However, oils must be used moderately in cooking as they also contain 'trans' fats which can be harmful to health.

Vegetable oils

It is not surprising to learn that vegetable oils are derived from plant substances and contain tricyclerides. There are many different parts of the plant that may produce oils, however, for commercial purposes it is the oil that is taken from the seeds of the plant that is used. Triglyceride vegetable oils and fats may be both edible and inedible as the group also contains castor oil, tung oil and linseed oil. These oils are mainly used for cosmetics, paints, lubricants and industrial purposes. Generally though, vegetable oils are used widely in cooking and food preparation. They are used to add texture, flovour and also to provide a 'flavour base' to carry other ingredients in a dish. Oils with a high 'flash point' are good for cooking with; examples of these are sunflower or peanut oils.

There are negative aspects to using vegetable oils. They chemically decompose faster than some other oils and turn rancid. For this reason other oils (such as mineral oil) is preferred when used in industry. Castor oil, is a vegetable based oil that is used for a medical field and occasionally as a lubricant.