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	smoke point smallage; smellage smelt smoke curing; smoked smoke point Southern Comfort Spalen cheese Spanish melon Definition: The stage at which heated fat begins to emit smoke and acrid odors, and impart an unpleasant flavor to foods. The higher the smoke point, the better suited a fat is for frying. Because both reusing fat and exposing it to air reduces its smoke point, it should be discarded after being used three times. Though processing affects an individual fat's smoke point slightly, the ranges for some of the more common fats are: butter (350 degrees F); lard (361 degrees to 401 degrees F); vegetable shortenings (356degrees to 370 degrees F); vegetable oils (441degrees to 450 degrees F)--corn, grapeseed, peanut and safflower oils all have high smoke points, while that of olive oil is relatively low (about 375 degrees F). See also fats and oils. --Copyright (c) 1995 by Barron's Educational Series, from The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst
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