Path of Vegetable Oil｜Japan Oilseed Processors Association (2024)

A widely-used vegetable oil in Japan. Rapeseed oil is the top oil in Japan in terms of both demand and production. The ingredient is rapeseed (canola seeds). Currently, the main ingredient used is canola seeds that are bred selectively in Canada. This vegetable oil possesses a balance of fatty acids that contains large amounts of oleic acid and appropriate amounts of linoleic acid and linolenic acid. The oil has a mild taste and is resistant to heating. Therefore, it is used for stir frying and fried foods. Rapeseeds are mainly imported from Canada and Australia.

Another widely-used oil on the scale of rapeseed oil. Contains large amounts of oleic acid and appropriate amounts of linoleic acid and linolenic acid. This is the secondly most widely-used vegetable oil in the world. This oil possesses unique flavor and richness. It is normally blended with other vegetable oil and used as salad oil or tempura oil. Rapeseeds are mainly imported from the United States and Brazil.

This vegetable oil is extracted from the oil contained in germ that is generated as a byproduct of acquiring starch from corn. This oil is resistant to heating. Therefore, similar to rapeseed oil, it is used for stir frying and fried foods. It is also resistant to deterioration and achieves outstanding storage of food after frying. The oil has a stable flavor and is used in dressing, mayonnaise, etc. It contains large amounts of linoleic acid and vitamin E. The ingredient of corn is mainly imported from the United States. The germ used in oil production is supplied from domestic starch plants in Japan.

This vegetable oil is made from cottonseeds after cotton has been harvested. To take advantage of the unique richness and flavor, it is often used independently as salad oil without mixing with other vegetable oil. Also, it is frequently used as the ingredient for margarine. In the Kansai region, it is used to prevent stickiness when manufacturing hand-stretched somen noodles. Cottonseeds are mainly imported from Australia and the United States.

This oil is made from safflower seeds that are often used for dyeing. Safflower oil is light-colored and mild. It is often used directly as a dressing for salads, etc. Previously, it led vegetable oil in containing large amounts of linoleic acid. However, today, almost all safflower oil available on the market is produced from "high-oleic seeds" that contain large amounts of oleic acid. Safflower seeds are mainly imported from the United States.

This oil is made from sesame seeds. It has a rich aroma and a unique flavor. Sesame oil is resistant to oxygen and heating due to the effect of sesame lignan that is a naturally-occurring antioxidant in sesame seeds. Similarly, the antioxidant sesaminol is said to prevent aging. In addition to Chinese cuisine, sesame oil has a wide range of uses such as stir fry, fried foods, and dressings. Sesame seeds are imported from a wide range of countries in Africa, Central/South America, and Asia.

This oil is made from rice bran that is a byproduct generated when processing brown rice. Rice oil has a mild taste, is resistant to oxidation and heat, and has stable quality. It is used as an ingredient in mayonnaise and snack foods, for fried foods, and used directly as a dressing. Almost all rice oil supplied in Japan is made from domestic ingredients. However, in conjunction with government policy for acreage reduction, an increasing amount of rice oil is imported from Brazil and Southeast Asia.

This oil is made from sunflower seeds. There are two colors of sunflower seeds: white and black. The black seeds are used for manufacturing oil. The flavor is mild and clean, making it good for dressings, etc. Currently, the majority of available sunflower oil is manufactured from "high-oleic seeds." The oil contains large amounts of oleic acid and vitamin E. Sunflower seeds are mainly imported from Europe, Turkey, Argentina, etc.

This oil is obtained from oil contained in the pulp of olives.
Olive oil possesses a unique aroma and flavor. It is used for a wide range of purposes, including as a seasoning.
Extra virgin olive oil is high-quality olive oil from among virgin olive oil that is compressed without heating.
There are also types of olive oil without the normally produced flavor.
Olive oil possesses large amounts of oleic acid and is highly stable. It is mainly imported from Spain, Italy, Turkey, etc.

This oil is obtained from oil contained in the pulp of palms from tropical regions. It is a sold at normal temperatures.
Palm oil possesses large amounts of oleic acid and saturated fatty acids such as stearic acid. Due to its oxidation stability, palm oil is used in processed foods like instant noodles and potato chips. Furthermore, due to its sold form, it is used as an ingredient for margarine and an added oil in chocolate, etc. It is mainly imported from Malaysia and Indonesia.

This oil is expressed from dried copra made from the endosperm of the coconut fruit. It is a solid oil due to its high saturated fatty acid content. Coconut oil is characterized by its high content of medium-chain fatty acids such as lauric acid. Used in food products such as margarine and ice cream. The oil has a unique sweet flavor. The main production areas are the Philippines, Indonesia, etc.

This oil is extracted from flax seeds and is rich in α-linolenic acid. It is eaten raw because it has extremely low oxidation stability and is unsuitable for cooking methods such as frying. Taking advantage of its ease of oxidization, it has been used for industrial purposes. However, with the popularity of n-3 (omega-3) fatty acids, linseed has also come to be used for food. It has a light flavor and is used in food products such as dressings. It is mainly imported from Europe and North America.