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Concept
Sunflower oil
Summary
Sunflower oil is the non-volatile oil pressed from the seeds of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Sunflower oil is commonly used in food as a frying oil, and in cosmetic formulations as an emollient.
Sunflower oil is primarily composed of linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat, and oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Through selective breeding and manufacturing processes, oils of differing proportions of the fatty acids are produced. The expressed oil has a neutral taste profile. The oil contains a large amount of vitamin E.
As of 2017, genome analysis and development of hybrid sunflowers to increase oil production are under development to meet greater consumer demand for sunflower oil and its commercial varieties.
In 2018, Ukraine and Russia together accounted for 53% of the world's production of sunflower oil.
Sunflower oil is mainly a triglyceride. The British Pharmacopoeia lists the following profile:
Palmitic acid (saturated): 5%
Stearic acid (saturated): 6%
Oleic acid (monounsaturated omega-9): 30%
Linoleic acid (polyunsaturated omega-6): 59%
Four types of sunflower oils with differing concentrations of fatty acids are produced through plant breeding and industrial processing: high-linoleic, high-oleic, mid-oleic, and high-stearic combined with high-oleic.
High-linoleic, 69% linoleic acid
High-oleic, 82% oleic acid
Mid-oleic, 65% oleic acid
High-stearic with high-oleic, 18% stearic acid and 72% oleic acid
In an analysis of the sunflower genome to reveal plant metabolism producing its oil, phytosterols were identified, as confirmed in another analysis of sunflower oil components, including polyphenols, squalene, and terpenoids.
In 2018, world production of sunflower oil was 18 million tonnes, led by Ukraine and Russia, which together account for 53% of the world total.
In 2022, there is a global shortage of sunflower oil due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has led to an over 50% drop in the availability of sunflower oil. Due to the shortages, many brands are reforming their recipes by switching to rapeseed oil to allow the production of their products to continue.
Official source
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