AbstractOdors generated into cooking and serving areas during use of oils in pan frying and deep‐fat frying are of concern to home and institutional consumers and, in some respects, to industrial users. Odor considerations are factors in the selection of types of oils to be used in both domestic and foreign markets. Comparative techniques have been developed to evaluate room odor characteristics of frying oils. Evaluation research has been done on various oils and cooking fats for room odors developed during frying. Improved odor characteristics contributed by additives to oils have been studied, as well as relationship between the linolenate content of soybean oil and its characteristic room odor. The nature of the volatile constituents which contribute to room odors during frying is the subject of continuing research efforts.