Topic: Mustard seed oil and erucic acid

[mickyp]

Phil, can you fill me in re the edible mustard oil please, thanks

[Peripatetic Phil]

Well, the background is that whilst mustard oil is regularly used in the sub-continent as an edible oil, in the UK (and elsewhere) it is classified as non-edible (and must be labelled as such) because its erucic acid content exceeds 5%.  KTC have now produced a rapeseed/mustard seed oil blend which contains less than 5% erucic acid while retaining all the desirable culinary properties of mustard seed oil, and which can be legally sold in the UK as edible.  Erucic acid is believed to cause the accumulation of triglycerides in the heart, the development of fibriotic lesions of the heart, and an increase in the risk of lung cancer and anaemia.

[mickyp]

Thanks for the info, i will see if my local store stocks it, i seem to remember someone saying that if mustard oil is cooked at over 250c its ok, that said "edible" is a good word to have on the bottle.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Yes, I too have read that if it is heated to smoking point and then allowed to cool it is safe to consume, and I was going to add a link to that effect, but I got distracted by other things ...

** Phil.

[mickyp]

Have you tried the mustard / rapeseed oil mix yet Phil?

[Peripatetic Phil]

Yes, it is fine, and can be used to some advantage when (for example) re-heating curry leftovers, but it doesn't impart a particularly strong mustard flavour/aroma to (e.g.,) chicken tikka, for which pure mustard oil may perhaps be better.

** Phil.

[mickyp]

Thanks for the swift reply Phil, cheers