Sunflower And Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oils

Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflower seeds, and cottonseed oil comes from cotton plant seeds. These oils are blended together. The cottonseed oil has undergone hydrogenation, a process that adds hydrogen to the oil, making it more solid and stable at room temperature.

This oil blend is used to provide texture, stability, and a smooth consistency in various food products. It is commonly found in baking decorations, icings, puddings, and custards, where it helps create the desired structure and mouthfeel.

Sunflower oil and cottonseed oil are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. However, partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), which contain artificial trans fats, are no longer considered GRAS by the FDA as of 2018. While the term "hydrogenated" can apply to both partially and fully hydrogenated oils, fully hydrogenated oils do not contain significant amounts of artificial trans fats and are generally considered safe. JECFA and EFSA have not specifically evaluated this blend of oils as a food additive, but rather as food components.