Sunflower oil is extracted by crushing the seeds of the sunflower, but not all seeds contain the same fatty acid radio.
Sunflower oil is offered in high, mid, and low oleic versions. These terms refer to the amount of oleic acid, linoleic acid, and polyunsaturated fat present in the oil. The variations in these oils come from natural modifications in the sunflower oil seeds.
High oleic sunflower oil
This is the more traditional and popular type of sunflower oil. Its neutral flavor and light color make this oil versatile and perfect for food, supplements, cosmetics, and pharma applications.
High oleic oil sunflower oil is considered the healthiest as it contains a higher amount of healthy fats and it meets the FDA standards to be labeled as “A great source of vitamin E”. High oleic sunflower oil has a minimum value of 75% high oleic acid and 20% linoleic acid and saturated fats.
High oleic sunflower oil is the ideal oil for high heat applications such as frying or baking because it remains stable when heated. Its fatty acid profile allows high oleic sunflower oil to have a higher resistance when frying giving a greater number of frying cycles compared to other oils.
Besides that, the high oleic content in sunflower oil enhances the shelf life of ready-made food products making it the to go oil for food manufacturers.
Mid oleic sunflower oil
Mid oleic sunflower oil is composed of 65% oleic acid, 25% linoleic acid, and 10 % saturated fats.
Mid oleic sunflower oil falls in between the two other types of sunflower oil. This is an oil that contains high enough levels of linoleic acid to withstand heat and make it less prone to need hydrogenation.
Linoleic sunflower oil
Linoleic sunflower oil is 70% linoleic acid, 20% oleic acid, and 10% saturated fats. This oil is considered the least healthy of the three as it is rich in polyunsaturated fats. Linoleic sunflower oil availability is becoming very limited as farmers are not producing linoleic sunflower oil due to its demand has becoming less and less.
Linoleic sunflower oil is perfect for applications that do not require heat such as salad dressing, margarine, and shortening. Because of its low oleic acid content, linoleic sunflower oil does not perform well when heated and will need to be hydrogenated to make it stable and resistant to heat.
Bulk by CHO is committed to offering healthy oils to the North American market.
We carry conventional and organic high oleic sunflower oil in all packaging sizes from bag in a box, drums, totes to tankers.
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