Stiftung Warentest Cheap sunflower oil good

In a study, the consumer advocates of Stiftung Warentest compared refined and cold-pressed sunflower oils. As so often, the résumé of the comparison was: „Expensive does not always mean better“.

25.10.2012

The Consumer Initiative Stiftung Warentest has tested the quality of sunflower oils from different manufacturers. It turned out that the price does not always provide information about the properties of the oils. The result showed that „Qualitative sunflower oil is still expensive to be organic“. For the study, the experts examined a total of 16 refined and 12 cold-pressed sunflower oils. 13 of the products were certified organic.

According to test results, one cost „Well“ valued sunflower oil 1.49 euros. The same amount but much more expensive was an organic sunflower oil with the predicate „Inadequate“ for 8,50 Euro. The prices of the oils ranged from 1.49 to 9.60 euros per liter.

Manufacturing defects in some organic oils
The consumer testers noted manufacturing errors, especially with cold-pressed organic oils. „A good oil must have a nutty and pithy flavor“, so the testers. However, five of the tested sunflower oils had one „slightly shelled to musty taste on“ or it was one „burnt taste and smell“ to feel. All refined oils, on the other hand, were contaminated with pollutants. These can arise during the refining process.

Another focus was the vitamin E supply of the oils. Here many oils with „Well“ or „satisfying“ be rated. Thus, 13 of 28 oils were good or satisfactory, one oil was barely „sufficient“ and another sunflower seed oil has been in this category with only „inadequate“ rated.

Only six oils had good frying properties
Every fourth cooking oil sold in Germany is a sunflower oil. Although most consumers use sunflower oil for roasting, only six oils showed good roasting properties, according to Stiftung Warentest. All results will be published in the November issue of the journal „test“ released. (Sb)

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Image: Benjamin Klack