Vegetable oils, which are mainly applied for cooking purposes, may also be consumed either directly or indirectly as a flavor. Many of us are familiar to sunflower oil, canola oil and soy oil, and we are likely to buy a number of jars, containing these cooking oils. Of course, we never want to waste our edible vegetable oils and that is why one of the major concerns, which we have, is the spoilage of oils.
Shelf life of these vegetable oils is quite unknown to us, and we often ask ourselves – Can vegetable oil become rancid over time? Most of the oils are found to have an extensive shelf life; however, do such oils go bad? If you are chef, you possibly utilize vegetable oils and thus, it is essential to learn about the possibility of rancidity of those oils.
Composition of vegetable oil and its rancidity
Vegetable oils contain triglycerides; when a carbon series of fatty acids grip a large number of hydrogen particles, then these fatty acids may be termed as a saturated form of fats. On the other hand, unsaturated variety contains less number of hydrogens adjacent to fatty acids’ carbons. If the level of fat saturation is higher, then your oil may be more stable. Oils that remain in liquid form under room temperature can included under unsaturated fats. Thus, they are more liable to spoilage than any saturated one that stays solid at the same temperature.
The period for which your oil may remain fresh depends fairly on the oil category. The phrase- vegetable oil- seems to be a little confusing, as many of the commercially produced oils are manufactured from a number of vegetables. Any product, which is tagged as vegetable oil or cooking oil, may have the combination of canola oil and oil of grapes seeds.
However, in most cases, these oil packages include soybean oil. Mixed oils usually remain fresh for a longer time than those that are single varieties of oils. Safflower and sunflower oils remain intact for almost 2 years, whereas corn oil must be utilized within a year.
Read the labels on oil containers
Most of the packets of vegetable oils that you purchase from store do not comprise any expiration date. Rather, you may find use-by date, and it is only two or three years just after the date of production. But keep in mind that the stated date on the bottle is merely a rough estimation and this does not oil will surely become spoiled after the date that is specified. In many instances, when you have stored this oil properly, you may be able to consume the product after the stated date. If it isn’t more than twelve months after the expiration date, then you may try this oil.
The date, printed on your oil bottle, thus, gives a rough guideline about your issue- how long does last vegetable oil? You have to apply own individual observations, and at the same time, you have to keep some track through some precise methods in order to measure the freshness of oils. Generally, the jar of vegetable oil, if not opened, the product stays fresh and unaffected for 6 months or also 1 year in few cases. Vegetable oil has also the possibility to alter its color or turn out to be little cloudy, if left out for a long time.
However, if you have experienced a bitter and sharp savor or smell, the oils are possibly stale. Depend on your own feeling of taste and smell in order to find out whether your oils have now gone bad.
The odor of rancid oil is generally strange and its color may also become darker than that of usual oil. If you have taken rancid oil, then you will not perhaps experience any adverse health condition. But, remember, the oil, which has lost all its value and quality, is not much healthy for you. Thus, as soon as you recognize that your vegetable oil is stale, discard it at once.
In this context, it is to be said that vegetable oils, which have become expired may go through either oxidative or hydrolytic spoilage. Hydrolytic spoilage means getting separated from triglyceride particle into 3 fatty acids and glycerol. Such process is seen, when water is present, and it may lead to the discharge of some unstable fatty acids. For oxidative spoilage, light or heat affects your oil’s fatty acid, while oxygen is present; it forms some compounds that are called as hydroperoxides, which may turn out to be aldehydes. Thus, the main impacts of vegetable oils have become expired are based on whether these are oxidatively or hydrolytically spoiled.
Maintenance of the quality of vegetable oil
Possibly, all the available types of vegetable oils must be stocked up in same methods. One of the most common options, recommended by experts, is that you have to place your oil in pantry for storage. It is because pantry is a quite dry and cool area.
Besides, if you have put your oil jar into any cabinet, it is also a good plan because no light may access that place, and these are the major needs for storing vegetable oils. In addition to it, you have to keep in mind that your oil jar is sealed tightly, when you are not consuming it presently. For any reason, if you cannot store your oil in pantry, then at least, you may try to place it in some chilly place without direct light. Storing vegetable oils in the fridge is, however, not a good idea, in many cases.
Thus, in short, it may be said that vegetable oils may be affected negatively with air, light and heat. When you are able to keep away from all these factors, vegetable oil will remain well for a longer time.
So, for consuming vegetable oil over a long period, you should be careful about its storage processes. Though all vegetable oils are not made of same constituents, they always need proper care to keep up the freshness.
