Sunflower oil: Bottlenecks due to the Ukraine conflict - This substitute is a good choice

Created: 05/02/2022, 16:17

By: Patrick Freiwah

In the course of the Ukraine conflict, there are problems with cooking oil in Germany.

In some places, bottlenecks pose problems for citizens - but there are alternatives.

Berlin/Munich - Until recently, a minority of the population was probably aware that Ukraine is one of the most important export countries for sunflower oil.

Now there is a military conflict in the country and in many places the oil from the small, black kernels is becoming scarce.

Food producers are being forced to look for alternative ways of preparing food.

For example, restaurateurs and fast-food companies have started to change the cooking oil mixture used to prepare French fries.

A spokeswoman for McDonald's Germany explained how the US chain's kitchens are reacting: "We use a vegetable oil mixture to fry our fries - including sunflower and rapeseed oil - with sunflower oil only making up a small part."

Ukraine conflict: Substitute for sunflower oil - alternative options are obvious

But the question of a substitute for the sunflower oil that has become scarce also arises for private consumers.

Because improvement does not seem to be in sight in the short to medium term.

The delivery difficulties resulting from the Ukraine war are said to continue.

So what can you replace the cooking oil with?

Harald Seitz from the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE) explains that refined rapeseed oil is a good example: The term describes the separation of unwanted substances, the oil becomes stable to heat and at the same time has an almost neutral taste.

It is therefore ideal for roasting, steaming, baking or as a dressing for salads.

At the same time, rapeseed oil contains more omega-3 fatty acids than sunflower oil and is therefore important for the metabolism.

Bottles of sunflower oil in the shopping cart: In 2022 there will be shortages of this product.

© IMAGO/Zeljko Lukunic/PIXSELL

Another thing you can use for frying is olive oil.

In this case, however, a little more caution is advised: Especially with cold-pressed oil, it is recommended not to heat it up too much.

The reason: Flavorings are quickly destroyed, which reduces the taste experience.

Here, too, the obvious solution is refined olive oil.

about (refined) vegetable oils as a substitute for sunflower oil

:

• peanut oil

• safflower oil

• sesame oil

• soybean oil

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Sunflower oil substitute: Butter and margarine are also suitable for cakes

Incidentally, coconut oil can also be used for baking or preparing cakes - this creates a delicious taste.

Butter and margarine are also good substitutes for sunflower oil. 

Other countries have also taken measures to counteract the shortage of sunflower oil as a result of the Ukraine conflict: In France, products such as margarine will also be made with other oils in the future.

The manufacturing companies have six months to indicate the new composition on packaging, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.

Hundreds of different products are affected by the changeover, including fried foods such as chips or French fries.

In addition, a TV station in our neighboring country caused a scandal by blaming Muslims for the shortage of sunflower oil.

However: While sunflower oil is scarce in Central Europe, there do not seem to be any problems in Sweden.

There is still plenty of oil there and it also comes from Germany.

Consumers are outraged.