Research Progress in the Compositional Characteristics, Health Risks and Influential Factors of Cooking Oil Fume

Abstract

Thermal cooking is one of the major application scenarios of edible oils in Chinese cooking. Cooking oil fume (COF), which is generated from edible oils during thermal cooking, is a complex mixture of solid particles, liquid droplets and gaseous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and COF imposes adverse effects on both the indoor atmosphere and human health. In the present review, we first elucidate the compositional characteristics of the two major harmful substances in COF, particulate matter (PM) and VOCs and their emission status during the thermal cooking of edible oils, and then summarize the influences of COF exposure on human respiratory diseases and other related health risks. Next, the major factors that affect the composition and emission characteristics of COF are discussed from the perspectives of thermal cooking methods, types of cooking ingredients, and the quality and basic properties of edible oils. Finally, an outlook is given on the optimization of edible oil processing technologies based on the compositional characteristics of COF and the development of new processing technologies, raw materials and pathways for future edible oils in the future in order to achieve precise and moderate processing of edible oils that is green with low energy consumption and to produce high-quality, nutritious and healthy edible oils for use in Chinese cooking. This review could provide some references for the future development of edible oil and fat processing technologies, and may be of guiding significance to improving the nutritional quality and safety of edible oils and fats and even helping to achieve the national strategic goals of “Healthy China” and “Double Carbon”.

Keywords

• edible oils; cooking oil fume; edible oil quality; health risks; future edible oils; green processing technology