Seed Oils
Seed oils are culinary oils pressed or extracted from plant seeds, such as soybean, sunflower, canola (rapeseed), corn, peanut, and safflower. The term is often used loosely as a synonym for "vegetable oil," though olive oil and other fruit-pressed oils are not seed oils in the strict sense.
Most seed oils have a mild, neutral flavor and a high smoke point, making them suited to sautéing, frying, baking, and dressings. Cold-pressed or unrefined versions keep more of the seed's original flavor and aroma but a lower smoke point; refined oils trade flavor for a higher smoke point and longer shelf life.
Large-scale commercial seed oil production began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, driven by advances in extraction and refining.