Mustard Oil

Mustard oil refers to either the pressed oil of the mustard plant used for cooking or its pungent essential, or volatile, oil. Its sharp taste comes from allyl isothiocyanate, and the pressed form contains about 60 percent monounsaturated fatty acids, including substantial erucic acid, 21 percent polyunsaturated fat and 12 percent saturated fat. It is a staple cooking oil across South Asia, prominent in Assamese, Odia, Bengali, Nepalese, North Indian and Bangladeshi cooking, and is sometimes used as a substitute for ghee. Because of its erucic acid content, several North American and European countries restrict the sale of pressed mustard oil for cooking, and the United States Food and Drug Administration prohibits importing or selling it as a cooking oil, though lower-erucic varieties exist and the essential oil is approved as safe for food use.