Is Mustard Oil Safe?

If you've ever searched “is mustard oil banned” or “is mustard oil safe for cooking,” you've probably landed on a mess of contradictory answers — some sources call it dangerous, others call it a superfood, and somewhere in between you've heard it's “banned in America.” So what's actually true?

Here's the clear picture.

Is mustard oil banned in India?

No. Mustard oil is completely legal and approved for cooking in India by the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India). It's one of the most widely used cooking oils across North India, Bengal, Bihar, and Rajasthan, and has been part of Indian kitchens for thousands of years.

The confusion usually comes from the fact that the US FDA restricts mustard oil to “external use only” in America. That restriction applies to the US market specifically — it has nothing to do with whether the oil is legal or safe in India.

So why does the US restrict it?

It comes down to one compound: erucic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid found in mustard seeds. Back in the 1950s, animal studies found that very high doses — far beyond anything a person would realistically consume — caused heart issues in rats. Based on that, some Western regulators took a cautious, zero-tolerance approach for food use.

India took a different, more evidence-based path: instead of banning mustard oil outright, the FSSAI regulates it through purity and labelling rules rather than an erucic acid ceiling. The 2% cap applies only to separately labelled low-erucic-acid mustard oil. Ordinary kachi ghani mustard oil, typically 30–45% erucic acid, has no such upper limit under FSSAI's standard for sarson ka tel.

What does the actual human evidence say?

The original alarm came from animal studies where rodents were fed erucic acid in amounts far beyond anything in a human diet. Regulatory bodies such as EFSA have set tolerable daily intakes largely as a precaution. Decades of everyday consumption across North India, Bengal, Bihar, and Rajasthan haven't shown a corresponding spike in the specific health issues raised by the animal studies, and no large human clinical trial has established measurable harm at typical Indian dietary levels.

This isn't fully settled science: some recent Indian research has flagged that heavy users may exceed international limits. The honest summary is that regulators abroad remain cautious, human evidence at typical Indian consumption hasn't shown clear harm, and moderation — rotating mustard oil with other cooking oils — is sensible.

How to make sure your mustard oil is actually pure

• ✓ FSSAI licence number printed on the label
• ✓ “100% Mustard Oil” stated clearly
• ✓ Kachi ghani / wood-pressed on the label
• ✓ A strong, pungent aroma

Where Indriya fits in

Indriya's Mustard Oil is wood-pressed the traditional way — no refining, no blending, no chemical shortcuts, and fully compliant with FSSAI's purity standards. It's made in small batches so you know exactly what's going into your bottle.

If you've been avoiding mustard oil because of something you read online, look past the headlines and go back to how it's actually made — and by whom.

📍 Visit us at Shop No., Bus Depot, 26, Juhu Rd, opp. Juhu Gymkhana, Juhu, Mumbai – 400049, or order online at indriya.online with free local delivery across Mumbai.