WINNIPEG, MAN. – The functional foods division of The Enezol Co. has introduced OLICO (oxidative lipid inhibiting cooking oil), which are vegetable-based fry oils that have been shown to reduce waste oil and greenhouse gas emissions by 50%, according to the company. The Enezol Co. spent 20 years of research, working alongside Japanese and Australian research companies, to create OLICO.

“The key to OLICO’s performance resides in the unique oilseed extraction and natural purification process, coupled with a proprietary blend of naturally sourced, vegan-based antioxidants that helps protect the oil from heat-induced degradation and oxidation,” said David Massey, an executive with The Enezol Co.

Fry testing at the University of Tokyo as well as at food manufacturers and restaurants in Canada, Japan and Australia found OLICO fry oils lasted about two times longer on average when compared to conventional fry oil. The carbon footprint to produce 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) of a vegetable-based fry oil is similar to burning 1 kilogram of diesel fuel, according to a study released this year by the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.