Sunflower oil

[9][10] In further analysis of the sunflower genome to reveal plant metabolism producing its oil, phytosterols and other phytochemicals, such as polyphenols, squalene, and terpenoids, were identified.

[14][15] In 2021, world production of sunflower oil was 18.5 million tonnes, led by Russia and Ukraine, which together accounted for 55% of the total.

Because sunflower oil is primarily composed of less-stable polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, it can be particularly susceptible to degradation by heat, air, and light, which trigger and accelerate oxidation.

[25][26] Unrefined sunflower oil is less heat-stable (and therefore well-suited to dishes that are raw, or cooked at low temperatures), but it will retain more of its original nutrient content, flavor, and color (light-amber).

[citation needed] Methods for cooking snack foods, such as potato chips or French fries, may use sunflower oil.

[28] Sunflower oil dietary supplements have been marketed for treatment of eczema, but research has shown it is not medically effective.

In the European Union sunflower oil can be sprayed onto tomato crops as a fungicide to control powdery mildew from Oidium neolycopersici.