Can I reuse olive oil for cooking?

Of the various types of vegetable oil available, olive oil is known as one of the best choices for cooking. Like most cooking oils in general, olive oil may also leave a little residue so that it is used for the next cooking session. Actually, is it safe or not, if the remaining olive oil is reused for cooking?

Most cooking oils that have been used for cooking have lost their natural freshness and flavor. Or you could say that the quality of the oil has started to deteriorate because it has been used for repeated cooking.

So, what about olive oil? A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, revealed that compared to various other vegetable oils, olive oil has the most stable quality.

This is because olive oil has been shown to be resistant to oxidative damage, so its quality can last much longer than other types of oil. This is different from ordinary cooking oil which is often used repeatedly for cooking, which tends to oxidize easily when heated at high temperatures.

The residue of the frying oil can form free radical compounds that are harmful to the health of the body. That's not all. The use of olive oil for cooking is also believed to be good for heart health.

This is because the oil that comes from olives is low in trans fatty acids but high in monounsaturated fatty acids. The good news is that olive oil actually has a high smoke point value, which is around 242 degrees Celsius.

The more often the oil is used for cooking, the lower its smoke point value will be. As a result, the risk of dangerous compounds will be even greater.

Because the smoke point value of olive oil used for cooking is high, it is likely that it is safe to use several times. What's more, if the previous cooking process with olive oil does not use too hot a fire.

Automatically, the decrease in the value of some point will usually be slower than using very hot temperatures. That is why using olive oil for cooking is often an option, because it is considered to have the least amount of harm even though it has been used repeatedly.

How to properly reuse olive oil?

After using it for cooking, it is best to store any remaining olive oil in a cool, dark place. It is important to remember, the use of olive oil below 200 degrees Celsius can still be stored and reused for the next cooking process.

In order to use "leftover" olive oil more precisely, here are some important things to note:

Make sure foods that are fried in olive oil are dry and do not leak water, as this can cause the oil to crack.
Avoid covering with a pan when cooking with olive oil, to prevent the condensation process on the lid from dripping into the oil.
If you want to reuse it, you should first strain the olive oil after each use.
Store the filtered olive oil in a tinted (not clear) glass bottle, to prevent possible light entry. Avoid using containers made of copper, iron, or plastic.
Place and store the oil in a cool, dark place.
Olive oil that has been used for cooking before should only be used for cooking or re-frying food. Avoid using this residual oil as a seasoning or dressing in raw foods, such as salads.
Do not mix leftover or used, and new olive oil in one container.
It's time to replace and discard the olive oil when it looks darker than the new oil.

This simple guide for reusing olive oil when cooking, will help you to enjoy the taste of this oil in good condition. Good luck!