Nowadays, due to their functional and health‐promoting properties, consumers are increasingly choosing non-traditional oils, including sea buckthorn oil, flaxseed oil, hempseed oil, and camellia seed oil.

Sea buckthorn pulp oil, also called seabuckthorn fruit oil, has a high content of palmitoleic acid; however, sea buckthorn seed oil and pulp oil have a different fatty acid (FA) profile. Sea buckthorn seeds contain 12.5% oil, and the whole fruits, on average, 10%. In addition, sea buckthorn is rich in tocopherols and other bioactive compounds.

Flaxseed is a safe source of vitamins, minerals, and bioactive cyclic peptides, as well as various fatty acids (including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega‐3, and omega‐6 fats), lignans, and dietary fiber.

Hempseed is rich in vitamins (including vitamin A, C, and E), micro‐ and macroelements (magnesium, phosphorus, potassium), β‐carotene, protein (on average 23%), soluble fiber (on average 12%), and oil (on average 30%).

Camellia seed is a rich source of the n‐3 FA α‐linolenic acid; they are used as a component in the production of foods and supplements with added value and functional properties. In addition to the high content of oleic acid, camellia seed oil is also rich in tea polyphenols, tocopherols, and phytosterols, which can serve as natural antioxidants and could be used for cardiovascular protection and immunity enhancement.

Recent studies of science and practice confirm the effectiveness of using PUFAs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, such as lowering of blood pressure; reducing thrombotic tendency; anti‐inflammatory and antiarrhythmic effects; improving vascular endothelial function; increasing plaque stability (through increased plaque calcification); and improving insulin sensitivity.

Despite the good safety profile and desirable health aspects of PUFAs, including edible oils, they can be contaminated with toxic molds and their metabolites and trans fatty acids (TFAs).

The physiological mechanisms of mycotoxin action in mammalian bodies are very toxic, for example, aflatoxins destabilize protein synthesis and ochratoxins inhibit metabolism involving phenylalanine and zearalenone, leading to estrogenic and teratogenic effects. It is very important to point out that the synergistic activity of mycotoxins leads to multiple, sometimes cumulative, toxic effects; for this reason, the presence of mycotoxins in foodstuffs raises the risk of associated public health concerns. Mycotoxicosis is characterized by an accumulation of the above‐mentioned toxins in body organs, tissues, and the central nervous system.

Low concentrations of aflatoxin can lead to long‐term effects; the most common effect of the majority of mycotoxins is cancerogenic, as DNA replication is influenced by some mycotoxins, and incompatible effects appear. Aflatoxin is involved in immunosuppression and mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic actions.

According to the European Food Safety Authority, TFAs may originate from various sources, including the bacterial conversion of unsaturated FAs in the rumen of ruminants, industrial hydrogenation, deodorization of unsaturated vegetable oils with a high PUFA content, and heating and frying oil at excessively high temperatures (>220°C). TFAs do not play a positive role in any vital functions.

On the contrary, the intake of TFAs may harm human health. Evidence suggests that ruminant‐derived TFAs have similar adverse effects on blood lipids and lipoproteins to TFAs from industrial sources. Sufficient evidence is still needed to reveal whether a difference exists between equivalent amounts of ruminant and industrially produced TFAs in terms of the risk of coronary heart disease.

Another challenge related to the safety of edible oils is contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are organic contaminants released through incomplete combustion or pyrolysis of organic materials. They contain more than one fused aromatic ring, and their toxicity depends on the number of rings: the higher the number of rings, the more toxic and stable the PAH.

The 16 most toxic PAHs are indicated as environmental priority pollutants, and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) is indicated as one of the most toxic PAHs. PAH4 include four PAHs (BaA—benz[a]anthracene; Chr—chrysene; BbF—benzo[b]fluoranthene; BaP). The maximum tolerable value for PAHs in edible oils is 10 µg/kg for the sum of BaA, BaP, Chr, and BbF, and 2 µg/kg for BaP.