Peanut oil

Peanut oil
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	3,699 kJ (884 kcal)
Carbohydrates	0 g
Fat	100 g
Saturated	16 g
Monounsaturated	57 g
Polyunsaturated	20 g
Protein	0 g
Vitamins
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins	Quantity %DV†
Vitamin E	101% 15.2 mg
Vitamin K	4% 4.3 μg
Other constituents	Quantity
Cholesterol	0 mg
	Link to USDA database entry
	†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.

Peanut oil, also known as groundnut oil or arachis oil, is a vegetable oil derived from peanuts. The oil usually has a mild or neutral flavor^[1] but, if made with roasted peanuts, has a stronger peanut flavor and aroma.^[2]^[3] It is often used in American, Chinese, Indian, African and Southeast Asian cuisine, both for general cooking and in the case of roasted oil, for added flavor. Peanut oil has a high smoke point relative to many other cooking oils^[4], so it is commonly used for frying foods.

History

Peanut oil production
2021, in millions of tonnes^[5]
China	1.84
India	0.78
Nigeria	0.36
Pakistan	0.26
Myanmar	0.19
Sudan	0.14
United States	0.13
World	4.75

Due to war shortages of other oils, the use of readily available peanut oil increased in the United States during World War II.^[6]

Production

In 2021, world production of peanut oil (reported as groundnut oil) was 4.75 million tonnes, led by China with 39% of the total (table). India was a major secondary producer.

Uses

Unrefined peanut oil is used as a flavorant for dishes akin to sesame oil. Refined peanut oil is commonly used for frying volume batches of foods like French fries and has a smoke point of 450 °F/232 °C.^[7]

Unrefined peanut oil is commonly used for cooking due to its natural flavor and nutritional benefits. It's also used in skincare products for its moisturizing properties.

Unrefined peanut oil is often used in salad dressings and marinades for its rich, nutty taste.

Biodiesel

At the 1900 Paris Exhibition, the Otto Company, at the request of the French Government, demonstrated that peanut oil could be used as a source of fuel for the diesel engine; this was one of the earliest demonstrations of biodiesel technology.^[8]

Crude peanut oil can be filtered and placed in a reaction tank with methanol and sodium hydroxide to yield methyl ester - the Biodiesel fuel.^[8]

Other uses

Peanut oil, as with other vegetable oils, can be used to make soap by the process of saponification.^[9] Peanut oil is safe for use as a massage oil.^{[citation needed]}

Composition

The oil is 93% fat, composed of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat (57% of total), linoleic acid, a polyunsaturated fat (20%), and palmitic acid, a saturated fat (16%).^[10]

Nutritional content

In a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), peanut oil is a rich source of vitamin E, providing 101% of the Daily Value (table). There is no protein or carbohydrate content, and no other micronutrients in significant amounts (table).

Properties of common cooking fats (per 100 g)
Type of fat	Total fat (g)	Saturated fat (g)	Monounsaturated fat (g)	Polyunsaturated fat (g)	Smoke point
Butter^[13]	81	51	21	3	150 °C (302 °F)^[14]
Canola oil^[15]	100	6–7	62–64	24–26	205 °C (401 °F)^[16]^[17]
Coconut oil^[18]	99	83	6	2	177 °C (351 °F)
Corn oil^[19]	100	13–14	27–29	52–54	230 °C (446 °F)^[14]
Lard^[20]	100	39	45	11	190 °C (374 °F)^[14]
Peanut oil^[21]	100	16	57	20	225 °C (437 °F)^[14]
Olive oil^[22]	100	13–19	59–74	6–16	190 °C (374 °F)^[14]
Rice bran oil	100	25	38	37	250 °C (482 °F)^[23]
Soybean oil^[24]	100	15	22	57–58	257 °C (495 °F)^[14]
Suet^[25]	94	52	32	3	200 °C (392 °F)
Ghee^[26]	99	62	29	4	204 °C (399 °F)
Sunflower oil^[27]	100	10	20	66	225 °C (437 °F)^[14]
Sunflower oil (high oleic)	100	12	84^[16]	4^[16]
Vegetable shortening ^[28]	100	25	41	28	165 °C (329 °F)^[14]

Health issues

Toxins

If quality control is neglected, peanuts that contain the mold that produces highly toxic aflatoxin can end up contaminating the oil derived from them.^[29]

Allergens

Those allergic to peanuts can consume highly refined peanut oil, but should avoid first-press, organic oil.^[30] ^[31] Most highly refined peanut oils remove the peanut allergens and have been shown to be safe for "the vast majority of peanut-allergic individuals".^[32] However, cold-pressed peanut oils may not remove the allergens and thus could be highly dangerous to people with peanut allergy.^[33]

Since the degree of processing for any particular product is often unclear, many believe that "avoidance is prudent".^[34]^[35]

References

^ "Peanut Oil - Uses, Health Benefits & Nutrition".
^ Liu, Xiaojun; Jin, Qingzhe; Liu, Yuanfa; Huang, Jianhua; Wang, Xingguo; Mao, Wenyue; Wang, Shanshan (2011). "Changes in Volatile Compounds of Peanut Oil during the Roasting Process for Production of Aromatic Roasted Peanut Oil". Journal of Food Science. 76 (3): C404–12. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02073.x. PMID 21535807.
^ "USA-Grown Peanut Sources - Peanut Oil". National Peanut Board. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
^ "What Does Smoke Point Mean?". La Tourangelle. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
^ FAOSTAT of the United Nations"Production of peanut oil in 2021; Pick lists by Crops/Regions/Production Quantity/Year". United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database. 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
^ "The Peanut Situation" (Dec 12, 1942) The Billboard
^ The Smoke Point of Fats & Oils Archived 26 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine - TheSpruce.com
^ ^a ^b "Peanut Biodiesel". Boiled Peanut World. 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
^ "Saponification Table Plus The Characteristics of Oils in Soap", Soap Making Resource
^ "Peanut oil per 100 grams". FoodData Central, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). "Chapter 4: Potassium: Dietary Reference Intakes for Adequacy". In Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). pp. 120–121. doi:10.17226/25353. ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
^ "Butter, salted". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h The Culinary Institute of America (2011). The Professional Chef (9th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42135-2. OCLC 707248142.
^ "Oil, canola, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Nutrient database, Release 25". United States Department of Agriculture.
^ Katragadda HR, Fullana A, Sidhu S, Carbonell-Barrachina ÁA (2010). "Emissions of volatile aldehydes from heated cooking oils". Food Chemistry. 120: 59. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.09.070.
^ "Oil, coconut, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Oil, corn, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Lard, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Peanut oil, proximates". FoodData Central, USDA Agricultural Research Service. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
^ "Oil, olive, extra virgin, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Rice Bran Oil FAQ's". AlfaOne.ca. Archived from the original on 27 September 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
^ "Oil, soybean, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Beef, variety meats and by-products, suet, raw, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Nutrition data for Butter oil, anhydrous (ghee) per 100 gram reference amount"". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
^ "Sunflower oil, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Shortening, vegetable, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
^ "Aflatoxin suspected in cooking oil". United Press International. 29 December 2011.
^ Common Allergens - Peanut FARE (FoodAllergy.org)
^ "Peanut Oil". Anaphylaxis UK. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
^ Crevel, R.W.R; Kerkhoff, M.A.T; Koning, M.M.G (2000). "Allergenicity of refined vegetable oils". Food and Chemical Toxicology. 38 (4): 385–93. doi:10.1016/S0278-6915(99)00158-1. PMID 10722892.
^ Hourihane, J. O'B; Bedwani, S. J; Dean, T. P; Warner, J. O (1997). "Randomised, double blind, crossover challenge study of allergenicity of peanut oils in subjects allergic to peanuts". BMJ. 314 (7087): 1084–8. doi:10.1136/bmj.314.7087.1084. PMC 2126478. PMID 9133891.
^ "Peanut Allergy". Food Allergy Initiative. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
^ Carlson, Margaret (13 January 2012). "Deaths Show Schools Need Power of the EpiPen: Margaret Carlson". Bloomberg.

External links

Peanut oil at WebMD

[1] "Peanut Oil - Uses, Health Benefits & Nutrition".

[2] Liu, Xiaojun; Jin, Qingzhe; Liu, Yuanfa; Huang, Jianhua; Wang, Xingguo; Mao, Wenyue; Wang, Shanshan (2011). "Changes in Volatile Compounds of Peanut Oil during the Roasting Process for Production of Aromatic Roasted Peanut Oil". Journal of Food Science. 76 (3): C404–12. doi:10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02073.x. PMID 21535807.

[3] "USA-Grown Peanut Sources - Peanut Oil". National Peanut Board. Archived from the original on 11 June 2008. Retrieved 15 January 2012.

[4] "What Does Smoke Point Mean?". La Tourangelle. Retrieved 19 January 2025.

[faostat-5] FAOSTAT of the United Nations"Production of peanut oil in 2021; Pick lists by Crops/Regions/Production Quantity/Year". United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database. 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.

[6] "The Peanut Situation" (Dec 12, 1942) The Billboard

[7] The Smoke Point of Fats & Oils Archived 26 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine - TheSpruce.com

[:0-8] "Peanut Biodiesel". Boiled Peanut World. 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2011.

[9] "Saponification Table Plus The Characteristics of Oils in Soap", Soap Making Resource

[USDApeanut-10] "Peanut oil per 100 grams". FoodData Central, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. 28 April 2021. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2024.

[FDADailyValues-11] United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.

[NationalAcademiesPotassium-12] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). "Chapter 4: Potassium: Dietary Reference Intakes for Adequacy". In Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). pp. 120–121. doi:10.17226/25353. ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Retrieved 5 December 2024.

[13] "Butter, salted". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2024.

[CIA-14] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h The Culinary Institute of America (2011). The Professional Chef (9th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-42135-2. OCLC 707248142.

[15] "Oil, canola, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[USDA_ndbcolumn2-16] "Nutrient database, Release 25". United States Department of Agriculture.

[Rao2-17] Katragadda HR, Fullana A, Sidhu S, Carbonell-Barrachina ÁA (2010). "Emissions of volatile aldehydes from heated cooking oils". Food Chemistry. 120: 59. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.09.070.

[18] "Oil, coconut, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[19] "Oil, corn, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[20] "Lard, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[21] "Peanut oil, proximates". FoodData Central, USDA Agricultural Research Service. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2024.

[22] "Oil, olive, extra virgin, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[23] "Rice Bran Oil FAQ's". AlfaOne.ca. Archived from the original on 27 September 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.

[24] "Oil, soybean, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[25] "Beef, variety meats and by-products, suet, raw, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[26] "Nutrition data for Butter oil, anhydrous (ghee) per 100 gram reference amount"". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 25 July 2021.

[27] "Sunflower oil, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[28] "Shortening, vegetable, nutrients". FoodData Central. USDA Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

[29] "Aflatoxin suspected in cooking oil". United Press International. 29 December 2011.

[30] Common Allergens - Peanut FARE (FoodAllergy.org)

[31] "Peanut Oil". Anaphylaxis UK. Retrieved 18 January 2025.

[32] Crevel, R.W.R; Kerkhoff, M.A.T; Koning, M.M.G (2000). "Allergenicity of refined vegetable oils". Food and Chemical Toxicology. 38 (4): 385–93. doi:10.1016/S0278-6915(99)00158-1. PMID 10722892.

[33] Hourihane, J. O'B; Bedwani, S. J; Dean, T. P; Warner, J. O (1997). "Randomised, double blind, crossover challenge study of allergenicity of peanut oils in subjects allergic to peanuts". BMJ. 314 (7087): 1084–8. doi:10.1136/bmj.314.7087.1084. PMC 2126478. PMID 9133891.

[34] "Peanut Allergy". Food Allergy Initiative. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.

[35] Carlson, Margaret (13 January 2012). "Deaths Show Schools Need Power of the EpiPen: Margaret Carlson". Bloomberg.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]