Smoke point

The smoke point generally refers to the temperature at which a cooking fat or oil begins to break down to glycerol and free fatty acids. The glycerol is then further broken down to acrolein which is a component of the bluish smoke. It is the presence of the acrolein that causes the smoke to be extremely irritating to the eyes and throat. The smoke point also marks the beginning of both flavor and nutritional degradation. Therefore, it is a key consideration when selecting a fat for frying, with the smoke point of the specific oil dictating its maximum usable temperature and therefore its possible applications. For instance, since deep frying is a very high temperature process, it requires a fat with a high smoke point.

Considerably above the temperature of the smoke point is the flash point, the point at which combustion occurs.

The following table presents smoke points of various fats:

Fat	Quality	Smoke Point
Almond oil		420°F	216°C
Avocado oil		520°F	271°C
Butter		350°F	177°C
Canola oil	Expeller Press	464°F	240°C
Canola oil	High Oleic	475°F	246°C
Canola oil	Refined	470°F	240°C
Coconut oil	Unrefined	350°F	177°C
Coconut oil	Refined	450°F	232°C
Corn oil	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Corn oil	Refined	450°F	232°C
Cottonseed oil		420°F	216°C
Flax seed oil	Unrefined	225°F	107°C
Ghee (Indian Clarified Butter)		485°F	252°C
Grapeseed oil		420°F	216°C
Hazelnut oil		430°F	221°C
Hemp oil		330°F	165°C
Lard		370°F	188°C
Macadamia oil		413°F	210°C
Olive oil	Extra virgin	375°F	191°C
Olive oil	Virgin	420°F	216°C
Olive oil	Pomace	460°F	238°C
Olive oil	Extra light	468°F	242°C
Olive oil, high quality (low acidity)	Extra virgin	405°F	207°C
Palm oil	Difractionated	455°F	235°C
Peanut oil	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Peanut oil	Refined	450°F	232°C
Rice bran oil		490°F	254°C
Safflower oil	Unrefined	225°F	107°C
Safflower oil	Semirefined	320°F	160°C
Safflower oil	Refined	510°F	266°C
Sesame oil	Unrefined	350°F	177°C
Sesame oil	Semirefined	450°F	232°C
Soybean oil	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Soybean oil	Semirefined	350°F	177°C
Soybean oil	Refined	450°F	232°C
Sunflower oil	Unrefined	225°F	107°C
Sunflower oil	Semirefined	450°F	232°C
Sunflower oil, high oleic	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Sunflower oil	Refined	450°F	232°C
Tea seed oil		485°F	252°C
Vegetable shortening		360°F	182°C
Walnut oil	Unrefined	320°F	160°C
Walnut oil	Semirefined	400°F	204°C

References

• Cooking For Engineers: Smoke Point of Various Fats - another list of smoke points along with some discussion on the subject
• Good Eats: Cooking Oil Smoke Points
• The Culinary Institute of America (1996). The New Professional Chef (6th edition ed.). John Wiley & Sons. CS1 maint: Extra text (link)

See also

• Boiling point
• Flash point
• Fire point
• Kindling point

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