Sunflower oil is all that the name suggests. It’s derived from sunflower, but not the petals. Sunflower oil is derived from sunflower seeds instead. Sunflower oil is non-volatile and has a yellowish gold texture on it. That makes it great to look at, but there are a number of other factors that you will need to know about the Sunflower oil. Sunflower oil can be used for cooking, and frying, it is also used for cosmetic formulation and more.
Sunflower oil is definitely the best thing that you can get for all these applications, and with lesser fats, it makes the perfect choice for frying and ensuring a healthy diet. Yet, there is a lot more that you need to know about sunflower oil. It has a clear texture at all times, and with that, you will definitely be enjoying the best possible experience with the oil. But, at times the sunflower oil can also get cloudy. That is why you will have to ensure that you are checking on the reasons for your sunflower oil to turn cloudy.
Cloudy Sunflower Oil
1. Low temperature
One of the main reasons for your sunflower oil to turn cloudy could be the low temperature. But the best thing is that you can fix it up pretty easily. There are fats, and natural waxes inside the sunflower oil, and when the temperature drops below a certain level, they can be frozen down, and that would be causing you to face these problems. That is why it is better for you to not refrigerate the sunflower oil and keep it at room temperature at all times.
The sunflower oil is not likely to go bad if it is kept at room temperature and it can survive that way for years. To top it all, these waxes can be removed through a process called winterization and you will be able to get clear sunflower oil as you might want to have afterward. Letting it sit at room temperature for a day, after it has got cloudy should also be helping you to clear out all such problems that you have been facing earlier on the sunflower oil.
2. Wash the seeds
For those who like to derive their own sunflower oil, it is of critical importance to wash those seeds properly. There can be impurities on the seeds or some other particles that might be causing you to face this issue later with your sunflower oil getting cloudy.
Washing the seeds multiple times, and after that drying them up properly should be the best way for all those persons who wouldn’t like to have that cloudiness on their sunflower oil. Also, filtering the oil after the derivation process is also important and that should be clearing out any leftover impurities in the sunflower oil as well that will cause it to turn cloudy otherwise.
3. Get Refined Oil
Another reason for you to be noticing slight white particles on the bottom of your bottle, or in the oil at cold temperature could be caused due to the oil being unrefined. Simply put, there can be impurities in the unrefined oil, and you can get rid of that problem pretty easily.
All you will need to do is make sure that you are getting the refined sunflower oil, and that should be helping you out to avoid any such problems as having the cloudy sunflower oil.
Is it Safe?
The next thing that you will need to know would be about the health factor, and if it is safe for you to consume any such oil that has turned cloudy. The sunflower oil should be safe to consume for up to two years since it has that extended shelf life.
Even if you are seeing the sunflower oil turn cloudy during that period, due to being refrigerated, or you might be having colder temperatures around your place, you just need to pour it into a pan and heat it up. It will retain the color and texture that you might want it to have with perfect clarity on it at the same time.