World Food Day 2026: The Essential Role of Oils in Our Food

Every year on October 16, World Food Day highlights the importance of access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for all. 

In 2026, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) celebrates this occasion under the theme “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.”, emphasizing the role of innovation and collective action in building more resilient food systems. 

At OLVEA, we contribute to this ambition through our expertise in plant-based oils and omega solutions, providing the food industry with high-quality ingredients that support balanced diets and evolving nutritional needs. 

Oils contribute to several essential nutritional functions: 

• Providing energy: fats are a concentrated source of energy, supplying 9 kcal per gram. 

• Supplying essential fatty acids: certain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained through food. 

• Supporting vitamin absorption: dietary fats help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. 

• Providing different nutritional profiles: each oil has its own fatty acid composition, offering different nutritional characteristics. 

From olive and rapeseed oils to sunflower and flaxseed oils, this diversity makes oils valuable ingredients in a varied and balanced diet. 

Oils are not only important for their nutritional properties. They also play an essential role in the way food is prepared, experienced and enjoyed. 

In everyday cooking and industrial food production, oils contribute to multiple functions: 

• Cooking and frying: oils transfer heat and help create the golden, crispy textures of many cooked foods. 

• Taste and flavour: oils can bring their own sensory characteristics and influence how aromas are released and perceived. 

• Texture and creaminess: fats contribute to the smoothness of sauces, dressings, ice creams and other food preparations. 

• Baking: vegetable oils can help create soft, moist textures in cakes and pastries. 

• Emulsification: when combined with suitable emulsifiers, oils help create stable preparations such as mayonnaise and creamy sauces. 

These properties make oils essential ingredients in a wide variety of food applications, combining functionality, versatility and eating pleasure. 

Vegetable oils are used in a wide range of food products, from everyday cooking to more complex industrial formulations. 

Their characteristics vary according to their botanical origin, fatty acid composition and processing methods. 

For example, olive oil is valued for its sensory profile and high proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids, while rapeseed and flaxseed oils provide alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid. 

Sunflower oil is widely used in cooking and food manufacturing, with different varieties offering distinct fatty acid profiles. Other vegetable fats, such as coconut oil, can contribute specific melting properties and textures to food preparations. 

Choosing the right oil therefore means considering both nutritional composition and technological performance, including flavour, heat stability and texture. 

Through its expertise in vegetable oils, OLVEA supports food manufacturers in selecting ingredients suited to their applications, with a focus on quality, traceability and technical requirements.  

Alongside vegetable oils, fish oils also play an important role in the food and nutrition sectors. 

They are naturally rich in EPA and DHA, two long-chain omega-3 fatty acids valued for their nutritional properties. 

EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function, while DHA also contributes to the maintenance of normal brain function and vision, under the conditions established by applicable regulations. 

Fish oils are particularly used in food supplements, fortified foods and specialized nutrition, providing specific fatty acid profiles that complement those of vegetable oils. 

Through OLVEA Omega Solutions, we supply omega-3 fish oils for different markets, combining expertise in marine ingredients with quality and traceability requirements. 

The future of food depends not only on what ingredients provide, but also on how they are sourced and processed. 

At OLVEA, responsible sourcing, quality and traceability are central to our approach across vegetable and marine supply chains. 

Our expertise also includes OLVEA Green Technologies, our refining unit in Normandy, France, designed to process vegetable and fish oils while integrating environmental considerations into industrial operations. 

By combining sourcing expertise, processing capabilities and quality standards, we aim to support food manufacturers in developing products that respond to today’s expectations. 

World Food Day is a reminder that building better food systems requires collaboration across the entire value chain. 

From their nutritional contributions to their role in cooking, flavour and texture, oils are essential ingredients in the food we eat every day. 

As a supplier of vegetable oils and omega-3 fish oils, OLVEA contributes through carefully selected ingredients, technical expertise and a commitment to responsible practices. 

Because better food starts with carefully selected ingredients.