Perilla oil () is an edible vegetable oil derived from

perilla ''Perilla'' is a genus consisting of one major Asiatic crop species '' Perilla frutescens'' and a few wild species in nature belonging to the mint family, Lamiaceae. The genus encompasses several distinct varieties of Asian herb, seed, and vege ...

seeds. Having a distinct nutty aroma and taste, the oil pressed from the toasted perilla seeds is used as a flavor enhancer, condiment, and cooking oil in

Korean cuisine Korean cuisine is the set of foods and culinary styles which are associated with Korean culture. This cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient Prehistoric Korea, agricultural and nomad ...

. The oil pressed from untoasted perilla seeds is used for non-culinary purposes.

Production

Perilla oil is obtained by pressing the seeds of perilla, which contains 38-45%

lipid Lipids are a broad group of organic compounds which include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The functions of lipids include storing ...

Nutrition

Perilla oil is considered a rich source of

fatty acid In chemistry, in particular in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated and unsaturated compounds#Organic chemistry, saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an ...

s, and contains both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Saturated

s in perilla oil are mainly palmitic (4-9%) and stearic (1-4%). Monounsaturated fatty acids in perilla oil are oleic (13-18%), while polyunsaturated fatty acids in perilla oil are linoleic (14-20%) and

linolenic acid Linolenic acid is a type of naturally-occurring fatty acid. It can refer to either of two octadecatrienoic acids (i.e. with an 18-carbon chain and three double bonds, which are found in the '' cis'' configuration), or a mixture of the two. Lino ...

s (54-64%). In comparison to other plant oils, perilla oil exhibits one of the highest proportion of

omega-3 fatty acid Omega−3 fatty acids, also called omega−3 oils, ω−3 fatty acids or ''n''−3 fatty acids, are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) characterized by the presence of a double bond three atoms away from the terminal methyl group in their ...

s, which is between 54 and 64%. The

omega-6 fatty acid Omega−6 fatty acids (also referred to as ω−6 fatty acids or ''n''−6 fatty acids) are a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) that share a final carbon-carbon double bond in the ''n''−6 position, that is, the sixth bond, counti ...

component is usually around 14%.

Use

Culinary

, perilla oil and sesame oil are the two chief oils used in flavoring, sauces, and dips. Usually made from toasted perilla seeds, the oil is used as a flavor enhancer, condiment, and cooking oil. Either sesame or perilla oil can be used for flavoring ''

namul ''Namul'' () refers to either a variety of edible greens or leaves or seasoned herbal dishes made of them. Wild greens are called ''san-namul'' (), and spring vegetables are called ''bom-namul'' (). On the day of Daeboreum, the first full moo ...

'' (vegetable side dishes) and other sides, pan-frying '' jeon'' (pan-fried dishes), coating '' gim'' (laver) before roasting it, and forming the flavor base for

dipping sauce A dip or dipping sauce is a common condiment for many types of food. Dips are used to add flavor or texture to a food, such as pita bread, dumplings, crackers, chopped raw vegetables, fruits, seafood, cubed pieces of meat and cheese, potato ch ...

. Specifically, perilla oil is more common in the southern part of Korea as perilla is cultivated more easily in the warmer areas. Nowadays, perilla oil is used in Korean-style western food as well. A

Michelin Michelin ( , ), in full ("General Company of the Michelin Enterprises P.L.S."), is a French multinational tyre manufacturing company based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes '' région'' of France. It is the second largest t ...

-starred restaurant in Seoul serves nutty

vanilla ice cream Vanilla is frequently used to flavor ice cream, especially in North America, Asia, and Europe. Vanilla ice cream, like other flavors of ice cream, was originally created by cooling a mixture made of cream, sugar, and vanilla above a container ...

which has perilla oil as its "secret ingredient."

Industrial

Perilla oil made from untoasted seeds can be used for non-culinary purposes, including in paint, varnish, printing ink and linoleum. As a

drying oil Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a final production step before selling or packaging products. To be conside ...

similar to tung oil or

linseed oil Linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil or flax oil (in its edible form), is a colorless to yellowish oil obtained from the dried, ripened seeds of the flax plant (''Linum usitatissimum''). The oil is obtained by pressing, sometimes followed by ...

, perilla oil has been used for

paints Paint is a material or mixture that, when applied to a solid material and allowed to dry, adds a film-like layer. As art, this is used to create an image or images known as a painting. Paint can be made in many colors and types. Most paints are ...

, varnishes,

linoleum Linoleum is a floor covering made from materials such as solidified linseed oil (linoxyn), Pine Resin, pine resin, ground Cork (material), cork dust, sawdust, and mineral fillers such as calcium carbonate, most commonly on a Hessian fabric, hes ...

, printing ink,

lacquer Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity. Asian lacquerware, which may be c ...

s, and for protective waterproof coatings on cloth. Perilla oil can also be used for fuel. It is used along with synthetic resins in the production of varnishes. It dries faster than

and on drying forms a film that is harder and yellows more than that formed by linseed oil. The paint and varnish industry accounts for the largest usage. Perilla oil is also important in the manufacture of printing inks and linoleum, and in more ancient times was a critical component in creating durable earthen floors. In Japan, perilla oil was important for fueling oil lamps until early 16th century, before it was overtaken by

rapeseed Rapeseed (''Brassica napus'' subsp. ''napus''), also known as rape and oilseed rape and canola, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturall ...

oil. The oilseed contains

elements and was imported in bulk as a substitute for linseed oil into the United States from Japan, until the supply was interrupted by war. In Korea, perilla oil pressed from the untoasted seeds were used to fuel lamps and to oil floor papers.

Use of press cake

The

press cake A press cake or oil cake is the solid matter remaining after Expeller pressing, pressing something to extract the liquids. Their most common use is in fodder, animal feed. Some foods whose processing creates press cakes are olives for olive o ...

remaining after pressing perilla oil can be used as natural

fertilizer A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Man ...

animal feed Animal feed is food given to domestic animals, especially livestock, in the course of animal husbandry. There are two basic types: fodder and forage. Used alone, the word ''feed'' more often refers to fodder. Animal feed is an important input ...

Safety

Perilla oil is categorized as Hazard Grade III of Class 4 Hazardous Substances, by Presidential Order 33005 of Act On The Safety Control Of Hazardous Substances of the Republic of Korea. It is mainly due to its high iodine value (over 130), thus having a small probability of spontaneous combustion.Presidential Order 33005 of Act On The Safety Control Of Hazardous Substances of the Republic of Korea
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References

{{portal bar, Food Cooking oils Condiments Vegetable oils Korean condiments