Refined Soyabean Oil

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Refined soyabean oil is an edible vegetable fat obtained from soybeans (Glycine max) by mechanical pressing or solvent extraction followed by refining steps—degumming, neutralisation, bleaching, and deodorisation—to remove impurities, colour, and off-odours. It is widely used as a cooking and frying medium, and as a food ingredient, owing to its neutral flavour, relatively high smoke point, and polyunsaturated fatty acid profile rich in linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3).

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Refined soyabean oil is broadly recognised as safe for the general population and holds GRAS status in the United States under 21 CFR 184.1702; EFSA concluded that fully refined soybean oil and fat contain negligible residual protein and may be permanently exempted from mandatory allergen labelling. However, EFSA's CONTAM Panel identified potential health concerns from process contaminants—glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE) and monochloropropanediol (MCPD) esters—generated during high-temperature refining of all vegetable oils, with particular concern for average and high consumers in young age groups. Individuals with soy allergy should exercise caution with less-refined grades, and excessive consumption relative to omega-3 intake may contribute to an unfavourable pro-inflammatory fatty acid balance.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Permitted as a food ingredient under FSANZ Food Standards Code. Soy is a priority allergen; however, highly refined soybean oil meeting applicable specifications is generally not considered to pose allergenicity risk. FSANZ contributed to the FAO/WHO risk assessment on soybean oil allergen exemption from labelling.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Journal 147, 2004; updated opinion EFSA Journal 570, 2007) concluded fully refined soybean oil and fat may be permanently exempted from allergen labelling under Directive 2000/13/EC (now Regulation EU 1169/2011 Annex II). Approved as food ingredient under EU food law. Process contaminants GE and MCPD esters in refined vegetable oils subject to maximum limits under Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/290.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Regulated under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011, Chapter 2.2.6 (Edible Oils and Fats). Soybean oil produced by solvent extraction must be refined before sale for human consumption; residual hexane must not exceed 5.0 ppm. Standards for soybean oil are under active revision based on analytical data collected from Indian varieties.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — EFSA CONTAM Panel (2016) found health concerns from glycidyl fatty acid esters and MCPD esters—formed during high-temperature oil refining—for average and high consumers in all young age groups, including infants.

Children — EFSA CONTAM Panel (2016) specifically flagged potential health concerns from GE and MCPD process contaminants in refined vegetable oils at average consumption levels for all young age groups including toddlers and children.

Other — Individuals with diagnosed soy allergy should consult an allergist before consuming soybean oil; while EFSA and FDA recognise fully refined oil as having negligible residual protein, cold-pressed or lightly refined grades may retain sufficient soy protein to trigger allergic reactions.

Heart Disease — Refined soyabean oil is high in omega-6 linoleic acid; excessive consumption disproportionate to omega-3 intake may contribute to a pro-inflammatory fatty acid imbalance, which is a concern for individuals with existing cardiovascular disease.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 184.1702 — Soybean Oil (GRAS Affirmation). accessdata.fda.gov
2FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations 2011 — Chapter 2.2: Edible Oils and Fats (Version 2, October 2023), 2023. fssai.gov.in
3EFSA. Risks for human health related to the presence of 3- and 2-monochloropropanediol (MCPD), and their fatty acid esters, and glycidyl fatty acid esters in food, 2016. efsa.europa.eu
4EFSA. Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies on a request from the Commission related to a notification from FEDIOL and IMACE on fully refined soybean oil and fat pursuant to Article 6, paragraph 11 of Directive 2000/13/EC — for permanent exemption from labelling, 2007. efsa.europa.eu
5WHO. WHO Technical Report Series 896 — Evaluation of Certain Food Additives (53rd Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives): Soya bean oil, 1999. apps.who.int

Independently researched5 citations