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<pre>"Ken"

Your advertisement in the 14-odd yahoogroups refers:

All unrefined seed and fruit oils contain natural antioxidants
(predominantly alpha-tocopherol). These are destroyed during "refining"
(actually rectification!). "Refined" seed oils normally contain artificial
antioxidants (TBHQ, BHT, BHA, etc.), which are added to prevent the rapid
deterioration of these stripped oils.

If you are talking about unrefined grapeseed oil, this, to the best of my
knowledge, contains significantly no more natural antioxidant than other
unrefined seed oils. However, if you are talking about "refined" grapeseed
oil, then it is obviously possible to add as much artificial antioxidant as
relevant legislation permits. The same naturally applies in the case of any
other "refined" seed oil.

Of all the seed and fruit oils, only some of the palm oils contain
significant quantities of cholesterol, per se. Other than that, virtually
all seed and fruit oils can essentially be termed "cholesterol free". That
is rather different to saying that a specific type of oil has a positive or
negative health effect on the cholesterol content of human blood serum.

Furthermore, all natural (unrefined) seed and fruit oils are esentially
sodium-free. Traces of sodium are, however, normally associated with
"refined" oils, as a result of the caustic treatment during the
de-acidifying stage of "refining".

As far as I am concerned, it would be sacrilege to flavour a top quality
EVOO with garlic, basil, hot pepper, green tea or black coffee.
Commercially, the flavoured oils are normally those that need to be
flavoured (usually the "pure" blends).

Adding balsamic vinegar, or any other aqueous compound, to olive oil will
rapidly degrade the oil. These salad dressings are best prepared fresh at
home (it's really not too difficult!), as they do not have a significant
shelf-life onced mixed. (That is to say if you require the taste benefit of
a good olive oil in the mix.) A more sensible way would be to sell oil and
vinegar in separate containers, and mix it on the food, as is normally done.

Regarding saturated fat content of olive oil vs. grapeseed, both are
classified as low (under 20%), but quite variable (depending upon the
country of origin and several other factors). Smoke point is not normally a
determinant in the choice of oil, especially when the comparison is as chalk
to cheese.

Regards,

Guido Costa
South Africa
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