Cooking spray

Cooking spray is a spray form of various types of oils, combined with lecithin, an emulsifier, and a propellent such as food-grade alcohol, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide or propane. Cooking spray is applied to frying pans and other cookware to prevent food from sticking. Traditionally, cooks used butter, shortening, or oils poured or rubbed on cookware. Most cooking sprays have fewer calories per serving than an application of vegetable oil, because they are applied in a much thinner layer. Popular brands include Pam and Crisco.

Cooking spray has other uses besides cooking. Sticky candies such as Mike and Ike that are often sold in bulk vending machines may be sprayed with cooking spray to keep them from sticking together in the machines. Coating the inside of a measuring cup with the spray allows sticky substances like honey to pour out more easily. Some cooks spray vegetables before adding seasoning, as the spray causes seasonings to stick better.