The Future of Frying Is Here, and It Comes From Sugarcane

The oil of the future is here. Zero Acre Farms’ neutral, high-smoke point oil (up to 485˚F) made from fermented sugarcane, has quickly gained a following from professional chefs. It’s versatile — ideal for everything from sautéing and deep frying to baking and finishing drizzles — and its apparent health benefits and method of production are potentially groundbreaking. Sugarcane oil’s high percentage of monounsaturated heart healthy fats — even more than olive oil and avocado oil — appeals to the health-conscious, and its promise of minimizing deforestation is garnering attention from environmentalists. 

“Our goal has been the same since day one: to give the world an oil change. We believe a healthier world is possible with better oils and fats, but it will take time — vegetable oils are currently the third-most-consumed food in the world,” says CEO and cofounder Jeff Nobbs.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, the world’s largest environmental conservation organization, vegetable oil harvested from palm and soybean crops is one of the leading drivers of deforestation. Zero Acre maintains that if only 5% of vegetable oil in the United States were replaced with its oil, over 3 million acres of forested land would be saved. Sugarcane is the world’s highest-yielding crop, grows abundantly in South America, and requires very little water or land; in fact, Zero Acre claims that production of their oil uses 300 times less water than olive oil and requires 87% less land than canola. 

Though Zero Acre is made from sugarcane, there’s no sugar or sweetness in the resulting oil. Fermentation breaks down the plant's cane sugar, converting it into oil, which is then pressed and purified for a clean, neutral flavor. That quality has caught the attention of the hospitality industry.

From Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack, where two New York City locations have tested the oil, to chef Kyle Connaughton at the three-Michelin-starred SingleThread in Healdsburg, California, Zero Acre oil is gaining traction in notable kitchens across the country. “I was cautious and skeptical at first,” says Connaughton, “so I conducted a really deep dive to learn about the production process, composition, the oil’s impact on the environment, and what makes it better from a health standpoint.”  

The award-winning chef says that in the end, he was happier with the performance, flavor, and environmental and health benefits compared to other oils. “We have eliminated cooking with any other seed or vegetable oils going forward,” he says.