A broad range, not your bottle’s limit.
UC Davis reports olive-oil smoke points spanning approximately 175–240°C, depending on grade, quality and freshness. This is educational context across oils, not a prediction for your bottle.
Source: UC Davis, myth 1. Converted with °F = °C × 9/5 + 32. No per-grade prediction is implied.
What to do when cooking
Pan cooking: observe the oil
Do not treat a category as permission to leave an empty pan heating indefinitely. If oil smokes, reduce the heat and reassess your cooking conditions.
Roasting: the oven is not the oil
The oven thermostat is a setpoint for the appliance, not a measurement of oil on wet food or in a tray. Time, food and direct contact with the tray change conditions. A high oven setting alone cannot certify or rule out a bottle.
Deep-frying: measure and manage
Use a frying thermometer and follow recipe and equipment instructions. Keep water away from hot oil. Repeated heating changes conditions; a label is not a guarantee for subsequent batches.
Smoke point and quality answer different questions.
A smoke-point figure is not a complete assessment of an oil’s stability, freshness or quality. We do not turn broad published values into a health verdict or a personal safety threshold.
Sources & scope
- UC Davis: Olive Oil Myths and Facts — Cooking, smoke points, light labels and table olives. General information, not a bottle test.
- USDA FSIS: Deep Fat Frying and Food Safety — Temperature control and handling hot oil. Follow equipment and food-specific instructions.
Editorial review: 13 October 2026. Published guidance does not independently test your bottle.