Is it safe to freeze oil in a glass container?
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free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:42 am

I recently bought some Dremu oil, but came across a couple old threads here on EDS about how inherently unstable emu oil is and how quicky it can go rancid. The oil comes in a glass bottle, and I wonder if it's OK to decant a little and to keep the rest in the freezer so as to make it last longer? I know water expands when frozen so I'm not sure if that applies to oils as well? Thanks!

free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:03 am

I believe its ok to store in the fridge (it will become solid) but I wouldn't put it in the freezer.

free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:40 am

Oil, which contains water, will expand. Just dont FILL the container

free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:27 am

You can keep it n the fridge, just don't put it in a freezer.

free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:43 am

Thanks ladies! One more question, won't freezing make the oil last longer? I know this is different, but I take flax seed oil and hemp seed oil orally and the directions on those bottles say to keep in freezer to maintain freshness (granted those come in plastic bottles). So won't the same apply to emu oil...? hmm

And Alien, what do you mean by oil contains water?
Thanks!

free skin care · Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:14 pm

I buy an omega mix oil it's enough to last 2 months but it goes rancid in 4 weeks of opening. The label on the oil says that it can be frozen so I decant half into another bottle and freeze half. I then let it thaw out in the fridge over about 24 hours and it's fine. I have done this loads of times with no problems at all. I only did this with plant based oils but I'm sure it will be fine with any oil. Just as Alien says don't fill the bottle you freeze right up or the glass could crack.

free skin care · Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:09 pm

Hi fat swan, yes you can put the oil in the freezer to make it last longer, and it will be safe in the glass bottle. Chances are good that the oil will not "freeze" completely, but rather get "thicker" as it gets cooler. The freezing point of most oils is a lot colder than that of water (32F or 0C).

Inherently unstable oils undergo oxidation which breaks them down into small chain components that are aldehydes and ketones. These short chain molecules have an odor, and that's where the rancidity comes from. Putting unstable oils in the fridge or freezer actually slows down this oxidation reaction process. That is why they last a little bit longer in the colder temperatures.

Finally, there is NO water in a pure oil of any type. If there was the oil would not be clear when looked at, but would be something of an emulsion and would be cloudy in appearance.

John

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:29 am

Finally, there is NO water in a pure oil of any type"

I think the operative word here is "pure"

free skin care · Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:41 am

Glass is the most safe meterial for containers, since plastic always changes our skincare by its toxic ingrediant.

free skin care · Sat Aug 29, 2009 10:42 am

Yes Alien you are right the word is "pure", the ONLY way water could get into any oil is by contamination from an outside source. Oils are oils....sounds silly, but I hope you understand what I mean. A pure oil does not contain any water content. The oils either come from seeds, leaf content, other botanical sources, animal source, or synthetic. But they are all "processed" in some way to be obtained and finally sold, as an "oil". In those processes, any water contamination is removed (if it was ever there in the first place).

If you buy an "oil" and it is crystal clear, you can bet there is no water in it. If it is cloudy, or if you can see two distinct layers in the bottle, there "may" be some water contamination in it. In which case, I wouldn't buy it anyway.

Hope this helps,

John

free skin care · Mon Aug 31, 2009 7:52 am

Should be safe, as long as the oil is pure.

free skin care · Mon Aug 31, 2009 11:03 pm

Please make sure that your glass container is totally clean, other wise your oil would turn to dirty.

free skin care · Tue Sep 01, 2009 8:26 am

Thank you everyone for you wonderful advice! Now I know what to do with all my oils in the future Very Happy

PS, if unopened, do I still need to worry about it going rancid? Or should I still keep it in the freezer? Thanks again!

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