Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil (CAS 8001-21-6), pressed from the seeds of Helianthus annuus, is a light vegetable oil used in food manufacturing, personal care formulation, and industrial processing.

Where is Sunflower oil used?

• Food production: frying medium, salad oil base, and carrier for fat-soluble ingredients in dressings, margarines, and bakery products
• Personal care: emollient and skin-conditioning base in lotions, creams, and hair care formulations
• Industrial coatings and alkyd resins: high-oleic variants for oxidative stability in drying oil formulations
• Bio-based lubricant component and release agent
• High linoleic or oleic content determines suitability for specific end applications.
• Fractions of high stearic–high oleic sunflower oil are used in fillings, spreads, coatings, and confectionary products.

Good to know: Grade selection is a key procurement decision for manufacturers and chemical distributors. High-oleic grades are offered separately for applications requiring enhanced stability and longer shelf life.

Formulation notes

• Regular sunflower oil shows frying performance similar to soybean and canola oils.

Typical specification

• Refined sunflower oil has a smoke point around 232 °C (232°C).
• Refined sunflower oil typically has a peroxide value under 10 meq/kg.
• Refined sunflower oil has an iodine value of 120-145 g I2/100g.
• Non-comedogenic, meaning it does not clog pores.

Frequently asked questions about Sunflower oil

What grades of sunflower oil are available on the market?

Cold-pressed and refined grades are offered, as well as high oleic and mid oleic varieties.

How do high stearic–high oleic sunflower oils differ in functionality?

They can be fractionated into fractions with high solids and different melting profiles.

Is high oleic sunflower oil available from specific origins?

A high oleic grade is derived from a specific sunflower variety grown in New Zealand.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.