Vienna, Austria, 11. June 2025 – For the first time, cold-pressed edible oils can be heated to high temperatures and reused several times without any loss of quality. This makes them a high-quality and cost-effective alternative to refined cooking oils used in the catering industry. This breakthrough was achieved by the team at Lipid Legends GmbH, a spin-off from the University of Vienna specializing in edible oil optimization. With the resulting improvement of both sunflower and rapeseed oils, the company now presents the latest products from its intensive research and development programme. Both oils set new standards for health, longevity, and indulgence. This makes them particularly interesting for the catering industry, where large quantities of cooking oil are often used (e.g. for frying). The new oils follow on from the company’s optimized flaxseed oil, which has already been successfully launched. The new range of high quality cooking oils offers real added value not only to consumers but also to the catering industry.
Maintaining the quality of edible oils is a constant challenge for the food service industry. In particular, refined oils that are used repeatedly for frying dishes such as French fries or Wiener Schnitzel quickly lose quality due to the high temperatures required. Vienna-based OFS Lipid Legends GmbH has now found a solution to this problem. Cold-pressed oils can be used up to 80% longer than conventional refined products while maintaining the same quality – a breakthrough that not only has a positive impact on health, but also directly on the operational efficiency and sustainability of commercial kitchens.
In catering establishments, oils generally need to be replaced when the level of by-products („polar content“) reaches 24 – 27%. These are produced by various chemical processes, particularly during heating, and are generally considered to be harmful to health. Special sensors – often built into deep fryers – measure these levels and inform the user when the oil has become unusable. Marc Pignitter, Professor of Analytical Food Chemistry at the University of Vienna, who played a key role in the development of the new oils, comments: We have succeeded in developing cold-pressed oils that not only taste better and are healthier, but also last longer – even in extreme heat. Our oil remains stable where refined oils had to be replaced long ago. This is a revolution in cooking – and in the edible oil industry as a whole.“
To bring this innovation to a broader market, Lipid Legends has launched a crowdfunding campaign at StartNext. This initiative aims to support the final stages of research and development, as well as the scaling up of production to meet growing demand.
In Favour of Antioxidants
Lipid Legends optimized oils are based on high oleic sunflower and rapeseed oils, which are naturally rich in antioxidants. Using a patent-pending process, these oils are naturally enriched with antioxidants, making them longer-lasting, healthier and tastier.
The results of this newly developed enhancement process are remarkable:
– Lipid Legends High Oleic Sunflower Oil retains its quality 57% longer than regular sunflower oil and 35% longer than conventional high oleic sunflower oil, remaining stable for up to 33 hours.
– Lipid Legends High Oleic Rapeseed Oil keeps 55% longer than refined rapeseed oil and 82% longer than regular high oleic rapeseed oil, maintaining quality for up to 40 hours at high temperatures.
In short, the new production process combines science with advanced technology: it delivers cold-pressed oils that stand up to cooking, even when heated, without compromising quality. In fact, it is a variation of the previously patented Lipid Legends process to obtain an optimized flaxseed oil, perfectly adapted to the new oil types. This high quality flaxseed oil has been commercially available since December 2023 and is enjoyed by a nutritionally and health conscious consumer group.
In fact, Lipid Legends has revolutionized the production of vegetable oils with its innovative methods. The company has secured exclusive rights to the process through exclusive proprietary developments. The core of the technology is the extended use of press cake – a by-product of vegetable oil production – for refining into high quality oils. By using the vegetable oil obtained in a first pressing to extract valuable compounds from the press cake, this process improves the oil in a natural and sustainable way. Led by Professor Pignitter, the team has rigorously tested variables such as temperature and mechanical stress to achieve optimal results. This environmentally friendly approach not only maximizes the use of resources, but also sets a new standard for quality and ingenuity in oil production.
Antioxidant Power: a Natural Shield
At the heart of Lipid Legends oils is their polyphenol content, enriched through the green extraction process. These natural antioxidants stabilize the unsaturated fatty acids in the oil, protecting them from oxidation and heat degradation. The main benefits are:
– Longer shelf life: Oils remain fresh and usable for longer, even under intensive cooking conditions.
– Improved consumer health benefits: Polyphenols fight oxidative stress and support cardiovascular and cellular health.
This makes Lipid Legends oils both a high quality functional food and a sustainable choice that meets today’s health and environmental demands.
Fortunately, Lipid Legends optimized oils not only perform better, they taste better too. This has been demonstrated in blind taste tests where participants consistently preferred these oils. The smooth and balanced flavour profile, free of bitterness, was repeatedly cited as the reason.
For more information on the crowdfunding campaign and to support this initiative, please visit:
https://www.startnext.com/lipid-legends
About Lipid Legends
Lipid Legends, founded in 2023 and based in Vienna, is an up-and-coming company specializing in the development and marketing of high-quality, optimized oils. The first product in the optimized product line, the optimized flaxseed oil, is characterized by an outstanding taste, a high concentration of antioxidants and an extended shelf life. As a spin-off from the University of Vienna, Lipid Legends uses the latest research to develop products that offer significant benefits for nutrition-conscious consumers and nutrition professionals. www.lipid-legends.com
Scientific Contact
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Marc Pignitter
Department of Physiological Chemistry
University Vienna
Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2
1090 Vienna / Austria
T +43 1 4277 70621
E marc.pignitter@univie.ac.at
Contact Lipid Legends
Dr. András Gregor
CEO
Ludwig-Koeßler-Platz 3/3/24
1030 Vienna / Austria
M +43 6502709289
E andras.gregor@lipid-legends.com
W https://www.lipid-legends.com
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