Published: · San Antonio Oils

Olive pomace oil: the most undervalued frying oil on the market

There is an oil from the olive family that performs in frying like few others, costs well below olive oil and almost nobody asks for by name: olive pomace oil. Those who discover it rarely go back.

Here is what the industrial buyer should know.

What it is exactly (and what it is not)

It is extracted from pomace — the by-product of the olive mill — then refined and finished with virgin olive oil. It is a food-grade oil with its own EU standard and regulated parameters, sitting in the fryers of half of Spain. It is not "second-rate" olive oil: it is another category, with another price.

Why it performs so well in frying

Like the whole olive family, its profile is rich in oleic acid, which gives it high heat stability: it withstands many frying cycles before degrading, on a par with the reference frying oils and above standard seed oils. Fewer oil changes and a stable flavour, batch after batch.

The maths that adds margin

It trades clearly below olive oil and below the premium frying alternatives. For an industrial fryer or a food service chain, the saving per kilo multiplied by annual consumption is serious money — without sacrificing the result in the basket.

Where else it fits

Canning has a genuine tradition of pomace oil — sardines, mussels, preserved vegetables. It is a staple in hospitality kitchens. And traditional soap making has used it forever: the classic household soap was made with it.

Why almost nobody looks at it

Inherited image and inertia: buyers ask for "olive" or "sunflower" out of habit. The technical specification — stability, fry life, cost per fried kilo — is what should decide, not the name.

Test it with data

Ask us for a sample with its certificate of analysis, run it in your fryer against your current oil and decide with numbers. Available in drums, IBCs, flexitanks and tankers from our facilities in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Is olive pomace oil legal and safe?

Yes — it is a regulated category with its own standard and parameters in the EU, fully food-grade.

Does it taste of olive?

Its flavour is mild and neutral; it does not bring the fruitiness of virgin oil. In frying, that neutrality is usually an advantage.

Does it work for soap making?

Yes — it is the traditional soap oil, and it remains popular in that industry.

What formats do you supply it in?

All the usual ones: drums, IBCs, flexitank and tanker, from a pallet to full bulk.

Sourcing bulk oils?

Tell us the oil, volume and destination — our export team replies with availability and pricing.

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