Question 1

I bought this oil before, but this gallon seems so much more thick/cloudy then the previous gallon.  Why the difference?

Accepted Answer

Great question, Purple Cloud. Most rice oils are clear at room temperature. Clear rice oil has been 'winterized', which means it has been dewaxed. Winterization makes the oil clear. The theory is that consumers won't buy a hazy oil. 
The sediment is a normal part of our oil. We don't refine it out, as it is rich in gamma oryzanol and vitamin E. In fact, we feel it is better than the clear, winterized oil.  It does get clear at temperatures over about 80F, however. But you are right, consumers always wonder about cloudy oil!
Because our oil is less processed, the amount of turbidity depends on the specific environmental conditions the rice is grown in, and changes from harvest to harvest, as well as the temperature in which the oil is received or stored. The clear oil has been processed the same as the cloudy one, but as agricultural commodities, you do get variation from season to season.
We feel, however, that the winterization process reduces the levels of some of the very things that make rice oil great. Winterization lowers the amount of the anti-oxidants gamma-oryzanol and vitamin E that exists naturally in the oil and give rice oil its lovely properties. It is our experience that un-winterized oil also performs better in the fryer. 
So we prefer to give you less-processed and occasionally naturally-hazy oil!  Hazy oils rule! 
Remember, the oil will become clear at temperatures over 80F.  Also, the haziness increases quite a bit the colder it is, so in the winter, it is going to look even more hazy!
I hope that helps. Please write back if you can so I know you've seen this, as it is important to me that you understand that the oil is great and the haze is normal.

Question 2

Is this cold pressed?

Accepted Answer

We know—Dr. Oz recommends a “cold-pressed” rice oil on his show. But with the exception of olive oil, there is no such thing as a cold-pressed vegetable oil!
When people referred to an oil as “cold-pressed,” they mean that the oil hasn’t been exposed to high heat. But all vegetable oils (except for olive) must go undergo deodorization, a process that heats the oil with steam and vacuum in order to remove the volatile components present in the crude, unrefined oil. This step in the refining process makes the oil edible.
The term "cold-pressed" really only applies to high-quality olive oils that have been produced without exceeding a certain temperature (about 80 degree Fahrenheit). Only olive oil and some high-end nut oils, like French hazelnut oils, can be processed this way.
Even "expeller-pressed" oils like canola go through steam and heat deodorization!

Question 3

Is it refined oil?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no.  It is less refined than most other vegetable oils. All vegetable oils are refined to one degree or the next -- that is how oil is extracted from oil seeds, whether it be by pressing, physical extracting, or chemical extracting. Generally, refining consists of many steps including (not necessarily in this order) extraction, deodorizing, dewaxing, degumming, winterizing, decoloring, and alkalinization.  Our oil does not go through all these steps, which is why it is hazy, with more waxes, and a higher concentration of the good stuff: gamma-oryzanol and Vit E. The degree of haziness of our oil changes from batch to batch and also changes with temperature, getting hazier in cooler temperatures, and virtually clear at temperatures over 75F.

Question 4

can I use this for making soap?

Accepted Answer

Yes!  It makes a lovely soap! Lots of our product goes to soap manufacturers and cosmetic companies.

RICE BRAN OIL | 1 Gallon (128 Ounces) | Kosher | All- Natural, Made from 100% Non-GMO Rice | Rich in Vit E and Gamma Oryzanol | Unfiltered, No Trans Fat | by Heavenly Chef

Description

Have a Question? See What Others Asked

Reviews

Common Questions