The RRO Cold-Pressed Oil Collection

Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil

Rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, cold-pressed groundnut oil supports cholesterol balance and heart health. A pleasing nutty flavour makes it a versatile choice for multi-cuisine cooking, drizzling, and salad dressing. Well suited to Maharashtrian and Gujarati cooking traditions where groundnut oil is the foundational cooking fat. 100% pure, natural, and unrefined.

Cold-Pressed Mustard Oil

Bold, pungent, and deeply aromatic, cold-pressed mustard oil — also known as kachi ghani — is the backbone of North and East Indian cooking. The sharp, warming character of cold-pressed mustard oil is essential for authentic sarson da saag, Bengali fish preparations, and achar. Ideal for tempering, pickle-making, and traditional recipes that call for a robust, distinctive flavour. Cold-pressed mustard oil is heated to smoking point before use in most North Indian and Bengali cooking traditions, which mellows its raw pungency and releases its characteristic warmth.

Cold-Pressed Sesame Oil

A rich, nutty finishing oil well suited for South Indian tempering, stir-fries, and Asian-inspired dishes. Cold-pressed sesame oil is traditionally used in Tamil and Andhra kitchens for tempering curry leaves and mustard seeds, in rice preparations, and as a finishing drizzle over gravies and chutneys. Retains Vitamin E, sesamol, sesamin, and natural antioxidants from the sesame seed. Best used at medium heat or as a finishing oil rather than for sustained high-heat frying.

RRO's Cold-Pressed Difference

RRO has been producing edible oils since 1992, and every oil in this collection is extracted below 50°C with no chemical solvents, bleaching, or deodorising. This is what buyers researching cold-pressed oil are looking for: a verified process, not just a marketing label. RRO's Cold-Pressed Groundnut, Mustard, and Sesame oils are made for Indian kitchens that want maximum nutrition with minimum processing, backed by three decades of quality control.

Why Choose Cold-Pressed Oils?

Minimal Processing, Maximum Nutrition

Cold pressing extracts oil by mechanically pressing seeds at low temperatures, typically below 50°C. No chemical solvents, bleaching, or deodorising are involved. The result is oil that retains Vitamin E, antioxidants, healthy fats, and authentic flavour — qualities that high-heat industrial refining removes from conventional cooking oils.

Smoke Points — Know Before You Cook

Cold-pressed oils have lower smoke points than their refined equivalents. Understanding smoke points helps you match each oil to the right cooking method and avoid degrading its nutritional content through overheating.

Oil

Smoke Point

Best For

Cold-Pressed Groundnut Oil

~160°C

Salad dressings, light sautéing, drizzling, low-heat cooking

Cold-Pressed Mustard Oil (Kachi Ghani)

~250°C

Tempering, pickling, North and East Indian cooking

Cold-Pressed Sesame Oil

~177°C

South Indian tadka, stir-fries, finishing drizzles

How Cold-Pressed Oil Differs from Refined Oil

Refined oils undergo high-heat processing and chemical extraction, which strips away natural colour, aroma, and nutritional content. Cold-pressed oils preserve the oil in its most natural form, offering richer nutrition and bolder flavour. Refined oils offer higher smoke points and a neutral taste better suited to sustained high-heat cooking and deep frying. For everyday medium-heat Indian cooking, tempering, pickling, and finishing, cold-pressed oils are the nutritionally superior and more flavourful choice. For very high-heat or extended deep frying, a refined variant is the more suitable option.

Choosing the Right Cold-Pressed Oil for Your Kitchen

The right cold-pressed oil depends on your regional cooking tradition, the dishes you prepare most often, and the heat levels you cook at.

Choose cold-pressed groundnut oil if you cook predominantly Maharashtrian, Gujarati, or multi-cuisine dishes and want a mild, nutty flavour that does not overpower ingredients. It works well in dressings, light sautéing, and any dish where a gentle background note is preferred over a bold oil character.

Choose cold-pressed mustard oil if your kitchen is rooted in North Indian, Punjabi, Rajasthani, or Bengali cooking. Its sharpness and pungency are not incidental — they are the flavour foundation of the cuisines it belongs to. It is the correct choice for authentic achar, tempering in Bengali fish dishes, and any recipe where the recipe itself calls for kachi ghani.

Choose cold-pressed sesame oil if you cook South Indian food regularly or want a finishing oil with a deep, toasted nutty character. It is the traditional fat for Tamil and Andhra tempering and works equally well as a drizzle over rice dishes, chutneys, and salads.

For recipes requiring very high heat or sustained deep frying, a refined groundnut oil may be more suitable. Whichever you choose, every RRO cold-pressed oil in this collection is extracted below 50°C using the same chemical-free process — the difference between the three is flavour and use case, not quality.

Looking for refined or filtered options? Explore the full RRO Oil range.

How to Store Cold-Pressed Oils

Cold-pressed oils are unrefined and contain no preservatives, which means they are more sensitive to light, heat, and air than refined oils. Store all cold-pressed oils in a cool, dark location away from direct sunlight and heat sources such as stovetops or overhead kitchen lights. Keep the bottle tightly sealed after each use to minimise air exposure, which accelerates oxidation.

Cold-pressed groundnut and sesame oils are best used within three to four months of opening for optimum flavour and nutritional quality. Cold-pressed mustard oil, which contains naturally occurring erucic acid, has slightly greater stability and can typically be used within four to six months of opening when stored correctly.

Signs that a cold-pressed oil has degraded include an off or rancid smell, a noticeably bitter taste, or a darker colour than when first opened. Discard and replace rather than continuing to cook with oil that shows these signs.

Do not store cold-pressed oils in the refrigerator — cold temperatures can cause cloudiness or partial solidification, which does not indicate spoilage but affects pourability and appearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is cold-pressed oil?

Cold-pressed oil is extracted by mechanically pressing seeds or nuts at low temperatures, typically below 50°C, without the use of heat or chemical solvents. This process preserves the oil's natural Vitamin E, antioxidants, healthy fats, and authentic aroma and flavour — all of which are reduced or removed in conventionally refined oils.

Is cold-pressed oil better than refined oil?

For nutrition and flavour, cold-pressed oils are the superior choice. They retain more natural vitamins, antioxidants, and the characteristic flavour of the source seed. Refined oils, however, have higher smoke points and a neutral taste, making them better suited to sustained high-heat cooking and deep frying where the oil's own flavour is not wanted. The best choice depends on how and what you cook.

Can cold-pressed oil be used for deep frying?

Cold-pressed groundnut and sesame oils have lower smoke points than their refined equivalents and are not recommended for sustained deep frying. Cold-pressed mustard oil has a naturally higher smoke point and is used for high-heat cooking in North and East Indian traditions, though refined groundnut oil remains the preferred choice for extended deep frying. For best results, use cold-pressed oils for medium-heat cooking, tempering, finishing, and dressings.

What is the shelf life of cold-pressed oil?

Unopened cold-pressed oils typically have a shelf life of nine to twelve months from the date of manufacture. Once opened, they are best used within three to four months for optimum flavour and nutrition. Always check the best-before date on the bottle and store correctly to maximise shelf life.

How should cold-pressed oils be stored?

Store in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat. Keep the bottle tightly sealed after each use. Do not refrigerate. Use within three to four months of opening for the best flavour and nutritional quality. Discard if the oil develops an off smell, a bitter taste, or a noticeably darker colour.

Which brand should I choose for cold-pressed oil in India?

Look for a brand that states its extraction temperature and process clearly rather than using 'cold-pressed' as an unverified label. RRO's Cold-Pressed Groundnut, Mustard, and Sesame oils are extracted below 50°C with no chemical solvents, bleaching, or deodorising, backed by RRO's 30+ years as an Indian edible oil producer since 1992.