[ARTIKEL] 29 Apr 2025
Why does cooking oil smell quickly?
Have you ever been busy cooking and suddenly smelled the unpleasant aroma of cooking oil? Even though I've only used it a few times! Well, this is indeed one of the classic problems that cooking oil users often experience in the home kitchen. Cooking oil that quickly smells bad can make food less appetizing and can even be dangerous for your health, you know!
Come on, let's take a closer look at why oil smells so quickly and how to deal with it. We will also discuss tricks for maintaining the quality of the oil so that it remains clean, clear and pleasant to use over and over again.
Causes of Bad Smelling Quick Frying Oil
1. Leftover food ingredients
When you fry food covered in flour, crumbs can remain in the oil. Over time, these crumbs burn and become a source of rancid odor. Especially if you use the oil repeatedly without filtering it.
2. Oil temperature is too hot
Oil that is too hot causes the fat content to break down into substances that produce an unpleasant odor. So if you often fry at high temperatures, that could be the main cause of why the oil smells quickly.
3. Oil Used Too Many Times
This is clear. The more often oil is used, the more residual substances it contains. Coupled with oxidation when exposed to air, cooking oil quickly breaks down and smells.
4. Improper Storage
Oil that is stored in a damp place, near a stove, or exposed to direct sunlight will quickly oxidize and smell rancid.
How to prevent cooking oil from smelling quickly
1. Use High Quality Oil
Use coconut cooking oil which has a more neutral natural aroma and is heat resistant, such as Mamaco Coconut Cooking Oil. This oil has a high smoke point, so it lasts longer and doesn't smell easily.
2. Filter the oil after use
After frying, don't immediately throw away or store the oil. Strain first using a fine sieve or clean cloth to separate any small food residue left behind.
3. Store in a closed and cool place
Do not store oil near a stove or in a place exposed to direct light. Use a closed container and store it in a cool place to keep the oil fresh.
4. Do not mix new and old oil
If you want to add oil when cooking, don't immediately pour in oil that has been used many times. This mixture can speed up the oil breakdown process, you know!
5. Don't use oil more than 2-3 times
The safe limit for using cooking oil is a maximum of 2-3 times. Moreover, the quality of the oil has decreased and an unpleasant aroma begins to appear. It's better to use new oil for delicious and healthy fried results. However, if you use Mamaco coconut oil, you can use up to 6x frying pans.
Additional Tricks to Make Your Oil Last and Still Smell Good
1. Add a little ginger or bay leaf
When frying, you can add a piece of ginger or bay leaf to the oil. This not only makes the oil more fragrant, but also helps neutralize the smell of leftover food.
2. Avoid frying wet food
Make sure the food ingredients are dry from water before frying. Water can speed up the oxidation process and cause the oil to deteriorate quickly.
3. Use medium temperature when frying
Use a temperature between 170–190 degrees Celsius. Don't be too hot or too cold. This is the ideal temperature to keep the quality of the oil stable and durable.
4. Don't leave oil on the stove for too long
If you're not ready to fry food, don't heat the oil yet. Oil that is heated for too long without being used can also deteriorate and start to smell.
5. Don't leave the oil exposed to the air for too long
After use, immediately close the oil container and store it. Contact with free air for too long accelerates oil damage.
Characteristics of Oil that Must Be Discarded
1. The color of the oil is very dark
If the color of the oil has changed to dark brown or black, that is a sign that the oil is no longer suitable for use.
2. Rancid or sour aroma
Spoiled oil usually smells strong, sour, or rancid. If you smell a strange smell, just throw it away!
3. The texture becomes thicker
Good oils are usually fluid and light. If your oil feels thicker and stickier, it means it's time for a new one.
4. A lot of foam appears when heated
Excessive foam when the oil is heated is a sign that the oil has been contaminated with food residue and is starting to spoil.
Conclusion, so that the oil doesn't smell, you have to look after it smartly!
Avoiding bad-smelling cooking oil is actually easy, as long as you know the trick. Starting from choosing the type of oil, how to use it, to how it is stored, everything has a big influence on the quality of the oil. Don't wait until the food you fry doesn't taste good because of the smelly oil, okay?
Use Mamaco Coconut Cooking Oil for crispier and healthier fried results!
If you want fried food that is crispier, doesn't smell rancid, and is healthier, the best choice is to use Mamaco Coconut Cooking Oil. Its natural content is heat stable and doesn't break down quickly, making the oil last longer and doesn't smell easily. Come on, start replacing your cooking oil with Mamaco right now!