QUALITY AND SAFETY OF OIL AND OIL PRODUCTS:CURRENT ISSUES

Аннотация

This article provides a comprehensive examination of the multifaceted challenges surrounding the quality and safety of oils and oil products, spanning both petroleum-derived and edible oils. It identifies key current issues, anchored in regulatory gaps, analytical methods, environmental risks, adulteration practices, and public health impacts. This work offers a timely and methodical assessment of current quality and safety concerns across both edible and petroleum-derived oil sectors. It thoroughly integrates analytical science, regulatory analysis, environmental implications, and evolving technological solutions. The article effectively supports future research directions and policy development aimed at ensuring oil product reliability, consumer protection, and environmental stewardship. Keywords: Oil quality, oil safety, edible oils, petroleum products, oil adulteration, analytical methods, contaminants, oxidation, storage conditions, environmental pollution, oil spill, regulatory standards, food safety, heavy metals, Industry 4.0, traceability, authentication, public health, risk assessment, oil processing. Introduction. In Oil and oil products are fundamental to both the global food system and industrial economy. From edible vegetable oils that serve as essential components of human nutrition to petroleum-derived fuels and lubricants that power machines and infrastructure, these substances touch nearly every aspect of modern life. As such, ensuring their quality and safety is not only a technical challenge but a pressing social, environmental, and economic concern. In recent years, increasing incidents of contamination, adulteration, and regulatory violations have drawn attention to critical weaknesses in how oil products are produced, stored, and monitored across thesupply chain. In the food sector, the safety of edible oils is directly linked to public health. Issues such as the presence of harmful substances (e.g., trans fats, heavy metals, residual solvents, mycotoxins), the use of outdated or contaminated raw materials, and improper processing techniques continue to pose significant risks to consumers. Furthermore, oxidation during storage and transport can degrade oil quality, reducing nutritional value and increasing the formation of toxic compounds. Food fraud, including the mixing of low-grade or non-food-grade oils, remains a widespread problem in bothdeveloped and developing countries. In the energy sector, petroleum products must meet rigorous performance and environmental standards to ensure the safety and efficiency of engines, turbines, and other industrial systems. However, poor quality control, aging infrastructure, and environmental mishandling—such as oil spills and improper disposal—can lead to severe ecological consequences and endanger human health. Additionally, occupational exposure to toxic substances during oil extraction, refining, and transportation has become a topic of increasing concern, particularly in oil-rich but regulation-weak regions. Technological advancements have provided tools for better quality and safety monitoring. Sophisticated analytical methods such as gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry now allow for the detection of even trace levels of harmful contaminants. At the same time, digital solutions—like blockchain for http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass 69 Volume 15Issue 06, June 2025 Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023: 6.995, 2024 7.75 traceability, IoT sensors for real-time monitoring, and AI-based predictive maintenance systems—are beginning to reshape how the oil industry approaches safety and quality assurance. Yet, despite these innovations, challenges remain in terms of affordability, accessibility, and standardization ofthesetechnologies across regions with different levels of development. This article explores the current issues affecting the quality and safety of both edible and non- edible oil products. It examines the main sources of risk, evaluates existing international and regional regulatory approaches, and reviews modern technological and scientific solutions aimed at improving safety, transparency, and sustainability in oil production and distribution. By addressing these multidimensional challenges, the article aims to contribute to the development of more effective strategies for protecting consumer health, preserving environmental integrity, andensuring the long-term viabilityoftheoil sector. Literature Review. The issues of quality and safety in oil and oil products have long been the subject of multidisciplinary research due to their critical implications for public health, industrial performance, and environmental sustainability. Scholars have extensively investigated both edible and petroleum-based oils, highlighting the challenges of contamination, adulteration, oxidation,and theinadequacy ofmonitoring systems in various