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Sunflower oil: a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the sunflower plant. A comprehensive reference covering specifications, fatty acids, global production, and uses.
Helianthus annuus L.
Sunflower oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the sunflower plant Helianthus annuus, and is the fourth most produced vegetable oil in the world. The seed contains 40-50% oil by weight, extracted by both cold pressing (for virgin oils) and solvent extraction followed by refining (for wide commercial use).
The sunflower plant is native to North America, where indigenous tribes cultivated it for thousands of years. The plant moved to Europe in the sixteenth century, then to Russia, where its cultivation developed into a major oil crop during the nineteenth century. Today Russia and Ukraine dominate global production, and the Black Sea region is known as the world's sunflower basket.
Sunflower varieties are divided commercially into three main types by fatty composition: traditional high-linoleic (48-74% linoleic acid), high-oleic (over 75% oleic acid), and mid-oleic as an intermediate type. The traditional varieties have a very high omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 199:1, while the high-oleic varieties are more thermally stable and longer-lasting in use.
According to USDA data for the 2025/26 season, global production reached 20.93 million tons, or 8.9% of vegetable oil production. Russia leads with 6.90 million tons, followed by Ukraine with 4.73 million tons, then the European Union, Argentina, and Turkey. Ukraine dominates global oil exports with about 50% of the market.
Sunflower oil is widely used in frying and cooking thanks to its neutral flavor and the high smoke point of the refined varieties, and in the making of margarine, baked goods and pastries, and fish canning (especially sardines and tuna). Industrially, it goes into the making of soap, candles, paints, and biofuel.
HS Code
1512
Oil percentage in the seed/fruit
40-50%
Oil yield/hectare
800 kg/ha
Omega-6:Omega-3
199:1
2025/26 (April 2026 estimates)
Global Production
20.93
million tons
Global Consumption
19.33
million tons
Market Share
8.9
%
Source: USDA-FAS PSD Online
This oil conforms to the Codex Alimentarius standard for named vegetable oils, CXS 210-1999, which specifies fatty acid composition, and quality and authenticity criteria. The following cards present the specification for each variety of this oil.
Sunflower seed oil (sunflower oil) is derived from sunflower seeds (seeds of Helianthus annuus L.).
Oleic acid (Omega-9)
14.0-43.0
Linoleic acid (Omega-6)
45.4-74.0
Linolenic acid (Omega-3)
n.d.-0.3
Palmitic acid
5.0-7.6
Stearic acid
2.7-6.5
Lauric acid
n.d.-0.1
Erucic acid
n.d.-0.3
Total saturated
8.1-17.1
Total monounsaturated
14.0-44.0
Total polyunsaturated
45.4-74.6
Iodine value
118-141
Vitamin E (mg/kg)
440-1520
Caproic acid (C6:0): n.d.
Caprylic acid (C8:0): n.d.
Capric acid (C10:0): n.d.
Lauric acid (C12:0): n.d.-0.1
Myristic acid (C14:0): n.d.-0.2
Palmitic acid (C16:0): 5.0-7.6
Palmitoleic acid (C16:1): n.d.-0.3
Margaric acid (C17:0): n.d.-0.2
Heptadecenoic acid (C17:1): n.d.-0.1
Stearic acid (C18:0): 2.7-6.5
Oleic acid / Omega-9 (C18:1): 14.0-43.0
Linoleic acid / Omega-6 (C18:2): 45.4-74.0
Linolenic acid / Omega-3 (C18:3): n.d.-0.3
Arachidic acid (C20:0): 0.1-0.5
Gadoleic acid (C20:1): n.d.-0.3
Eicosadienoic acid (C20:2): n.d.
Behenic acid (C22:0): 0.3-1.5
Erucic acid (C22:1): n.d.-0.3
Docosadienoic acid (C22:2): n.d.-0.3
Lignoceric acid (C24:0): n.d.-0.5
Nervonic acid (C24:1): n.d.
Sterols (% of total):
Cholesterol: n.d.-0.7
Brassicasterol: n.d.-0.2
Campesterol: 6.5-13.0
Stigmasterol: 6.0-13.0
Beta-sitosterol: 50-70
Delta-5-avenasterol: n.d.-6.9
Delta-7-stigmastenol: 6.5-24.0
Delta-7-avenasterol: 3.0-7.5
Other sterols: n.d.-5.3
Total sterols (mg/kg): 2400-5000
Tocopherols and tocotrienols (mg/kg):
Alpha-tocopherol: 403-935
Beta-tocopherol: n.d.-45
Gamma-tocopherol: n.d.-34
Delta-tocopherol: n.d.-7.0
Alpha-tocotrienol: n.d.
Gamma-tocotrienol: n.d.
Delta-tocotrienol: n.d.
Total tocopherols and tocotrienols (mg/kg): 440-1520
Relative density: 0.916-0.923 (20°C)
Apparent density (g/mL): —
Refractive index: 1.461-1.475
Saponification value: 187-194
Iodine value: 118-141
Unsaponifiable matter (g/kg): ≤ 15
Melting point: —
δ¹³C ratio: —
Sunflower seed oil – high-oleic acid (high-oleic acid sunflower oil) is produced from high-oleic acid oil-bearing seeds of varieties derived from sunflower seeds (seeds of Helianthus annuus L.), and must contain not less than 75 percent oleic acid (as percentage of total fatty acids).
Oleic acid (Omega-9)
75.0-90.7
Linoleic acid (Omega-6)
2.1-17.0
Linolenic acid (Omega-3)
n.d.-0.3
Palmitic acid
2.6-5.0
Stearic acid
2.9-6.2
Lauric acid
n.d.
Erucic acid
n.d.-0.3
Total saturated
6.2-14.0
Total monounsaturated
75.1-91.7
Total polyunsaturated
2.1-17.3
Iodine value
78-90
Vitamin E (mg/kg)
450-1120
Caproic acid (C6:0): n.d.
Caprylic acid (C8:0): n.d.
Capric acid (C10:0): n.d.
Lauric acid (C12:0): n.d.
Myristic acid (C14:0): n.d.-0.1
Palmitic acid (C16:0): 2.6-5.0
Palmitoleic acid (C16:1): n.d.-0.1
Margaric acid (C17:0): n.d.-0.1
Heptadecenoic acid (C17:1): n.d.-0.1
Stearic acid (C18:0): 2.9-6.2
Oleic acid / Omega-9 (C18:1): 75-90.7
Linoleic acid / Omega-6 (C18:2): 2.1-17
Linolenic acid / Omega-3 (C18:3): n.d.-0.3
Arachidic acid (C20:0): 0.2-0.5
Gadoleic acid (C20:1): 0.1-0.5
Eicosadienoic acid (C20:2): n.d.
Behenic acid (C22:0): 0.5-1.6
Erucic acid (C22:1): n.d.-0.3
Docosadienoic acid (C22:2): n.d.
Lignoceric acid (C24:0): n.d.-0.5
Nervonic acid (C24:1): n.d.
Sterols (% of total):
Cholesterol: n.d.-0.5
Brassicasterol: n.d.-0.3
Campesterol: 5.0-13.0
Stigmasterol: 4.5-13.0
Beta-sitosterol: 42.0-70
Delta-5-avenasterol: 1.5-6.9
Delta-7-stigmastenol: 6.5-24.0
Delta-7-avenasterol: n.d.-9.0
Other sterols: 3.5-9.5
Total sterols (mg/kg): 1700-5200
Tocopherols and tocotrienols (mg/kg):
Alpha-tocopherol: 400-1090
Beta-tocopherol: 10-35
Gamma-tocopherol: 3-30
Delta-tocopherol: n.d.-17
Alpha-tocotrienol: n.d.
Gamma-tocotrienol: n.d.
Delta-tocotrienol: n.d.
Total tocopherols and tocotrienols (mg/kg): 450-1120
Relative density: 0.909-0.915 (25°C)
Apparent density (g/mL): —
Refractive index: 1.467-1.471 (25°C)
Saponification value: 182-194
Iodine value: 78-90
Unsaponifiable matter (g/kg): ≤ 15
Melting point: —
δ¹³C ratio: —
Sunflower seed oil – mid-oleic acid (mid-oleic acid sunflower oil) is produced from mid-oleic acid oil-bearing sunflower seeds (seeds of Helianthus annuus L.).
Oleic acid (Omega-9)
43.1-71.8
Linoleic acid (Omega-6)
18.7-45.3
Linolenic acid (Omega-3)
n.d.-0.5
Palmitic acid
4.0-5.5
Stearic acid
2.1-5.0
Lauric acid
n.d.
Erucic acid
n.d.
Total saturated
7.2-13.4
Total monounsaturated
43.3-72.2
Total polyunsaturated
18.7-45.9
Iodine value
94-122
Vitamin E (mg/kg)
509-741
Caproic acid (C6:0): n.d.
Caprylic acid (C8:0): n.d.
Capric acid (C10:0): n.d.
Lauric acid (C12:0): n.d.
Myristic acid (C14:0): n.d.-1
Palmitic acid (C16:0): 4.0-5.5
Palmitoleic acid (C16:1): n.d.-0.05
Margaric acid (C17:0): n.d.-0.05
Heptadecenoic acid (C17:1): n.d.-0.06
Stearic acid (C18:0): 2.1-5.0
Oleic acid / Omega-9 (C18:1): 43.1-71.8
Linoleic acid / Omega-6 (C18:2): 18.7-45.3
Linolenic acid / Omega-3 (C18:3): n.d.-0.5
Arachidic acid (C20:0): 0.2-0.4
Gadoleic acid (C20:1): 0.2-0.3
Eicosadienoic acid (C20:2): n.d.
Behenic acid (C22:0): 0.6-1.1
Erucic acid (C22:1): n.d.
Docosadienoic acid (C22:2): n.d.-0.09
Lignoceric acid (C24:0): 0.3-0.4
Nervonic acid (C24:1): n.d.
Sterols (% of total):
Cholesterol: 0.1-0.2
Brassicasterol: n.d.-0.1
Campesterol: 9.1-9.6
Stigmasterol: 9.0-9.3
Beta-sitosterol: 56-58
Delta-5-avenasterol: 4.8-5.3
Delta-7-stigmastenol: 7.7-7.9
Delta-7-avenasterol: 4.3-4.4
Other sterols: 5.4-5.8
Total sterols (mg/kg): 500-1760
Tocopherols and tocotrienols (mg/kg):
Alpha-tocopherol: 488-668
Beta-tocopherol: 19-52
Gamma-tocopherol: 2.3-19.0
Delta-tocopherol: n.d.-1.6
Alpha-tocotrienol: n.d.
Gamma-tocotrienol: n.d.
Delta-tocotrienol: n.d.
Total tocopherols and tocotrienols (mg/kg): 509-741
Relative density: 0.914-0.916 (20°C)
Apparent density (g/mL): —
Refractive index: 1.461-1.471 (25°C)
Saponification value: 190-191
Iodine value: 94-122
Unsaponifiable matter (g/kg): < 15
Melting point: —
δ¹³C ratio: —