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Arjuni
06 May 2012, 10:32 PM
Namasté,

Quick question, all: I have recipes that call for ingredients to be fried in mustard oil, but the bottles of mustard oil that I see in shops here are all labeled "for external use only." Does anyone know what's up with that?

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

Believer
06 May 2012, 11:12 PM
Namaste,

I have been told that the oil used for cosmetic purposes is treated, is not its usual consistency and is for external use only. But the mustard oil sold in Indian grocery stores in the cooking oil section should be the real thing.

So, when you say 'shops', I suppose it does not include Indian grocery stores?

Pranam.

c.smith
07 May 2012, 02:11 PM
Hari Om!

As an aside, items fried in mustard oil or recipes calling for it - fantastic! You'll love the flavor and the aroma too. Happy cooking.

And, give someone special a foot massage with mustard oil. Messy but incredible!

Jai Jai Hanuman!

Arjuni
07 May 2012, 07:44 PM
Namasté,

"So, when you say 'shops', I suppose it does not include Indian grocery stores?"

It does, actually. Two different Indian groceries in the city, as well as a specialty shop, and if you look on the bottles in both the cooking and cosmetic section, they'll say in small print for external use only, so just in case you feel like suing us, WE PUT IT ON THE BOTTLE not our fault you can't read it.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but you get the idea. :P

"And, give someone special a foot massage with mustard oil."

:looks around empty house:

Um...

Wait a minute! I'm special! :D

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

c.smith
07 May 2012, 08:02 PM
Hari Om!

Just went to the kitchen to look at the bottle of mustard oil that I cook with - the same brand I've used for years. On the label it states under ingredients "Unrefined, pure mustard oil". This is Laxmi brand. Then I turn the bottle some more and yes, I see the "Extrenal use only....". Wow, who knew.

If anyone makes it to Delhi, make sure to visit Chandi Chowk and look for the stand where they do foot massage. Although they have several oil types to choose from, mustard is fantastic.

anirvan
08 May 2012, 07:49 AM
I thing its the directive from govt of india to put that cautions.since use of mustard oil in ears is age old traditions in india to cure ear pain,softening wax etc which leads to fungal infections in ears.

Believer
08 May 2012, 04:22 PM
Namaste,

So, there you have the whole story. 'Unrefined pure mustard oil' is the cooking oil, used for cooking. The Indian Govt. which lets its people buy the most potent medications without a prescription, is out to protect its citizens against the benign unrefined mustard oil. :) Still, I don't see the reason for putting a directive about it being 'for external use only'. It is good for both internal and external use.

The mustard oil used for cosmetic purposes is probably refined/treated, is thinner/more fluid and a lot more expensive; might even come in a fancy, decorative 4 fl. oz. bottle complete with a bow tie and a ribbon around it. ;)

As a kid, I seem to remember having used some of the freshest, first press, unrefined mustard oil with a strong odor, for body massage. It had a mild sting to it when it touched the scalp; probably medicinal qualities showing through. People were not health conscious back then and it was not used much for cooking, except for deep frying pakoras and samosas, I think.

Pranam.

c.smith
10 May 2012, 07:00 AM
Hari Om!

Was shopping online this morning and ran across this: http://www.tattvasherbs.com/servlet/-strse-58/mustard-oil%2C-ayurvedic-oil%2C/Detail Wish that I could enlarge the bottle to see if it has the warning label, but if you check out the other pages associated with this product, it specifically says that it IS for cooking. Is this the real thing?

Jai Jai Hanuman!

Arjuni
26 May 2012, 02:40 PM
Namasté,

I thought other thread-followers might appreciate an update. A friend found some information for me; it turns out that in the US, Canada, and the EU, mustard oil is banned as a foodstuff and so must be sold with a warning label to that effect.

Here's one of the articles detailing it, with the relevant portion beginning at the sentence, "Until recently, good mustard oil was so hard to find in the United States--"

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/02/dining/american-chefs-discover-mustard-oil.html?_r=1 (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/02/dining/american-chefs-discover-mustard-oil.html?_r=1)

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.