Established in the 2015-16 financial year and completed in the 2016-17 period, this Project investigated whether the chemical composition of oil, or technology, could be used to predict
smoke point.
As part of this project, the NSW Department of Primary Industries Australian Oils Research Laboratory used the American Oil Chemists Society’s (AOCS) official method to test 200 olive oils, from most growing regions in Australia.
The samples were analysed to find relationships between chemical constituents and smoke point. The free fatty acid (FFA) concentration of the oil was the only component measured to have a significant effect. Oils with low FFA generally had a higher smoke point and those with
higher FFA a lower smoke point. As a result, an equation based on FFA concentration can be used to predict smoke point to an acceptable level of accuracy, but only when the
FFA level has been determined.
As smoke point measurements may vary between laboratories even when the same method is used, this Project recommended the development of certified reference material or a reference oil to ensure consistency across laboratories.
The Project recommended that more research is done to understand the performance of extra virgin olive oil and investigate its nutritional characteristics under different cooking conditions.
Final reports are free to Australian horticulture levy payers, registered Horticulture Innovation members and industry representative bodies.
Photograph : A wooden box with appropriate ventilation and a built-in light source helped to prevent air draught, to help with the Determination of a Derived Smoke Point for Olive Oil (OL15000) Source : HIA