The temperature at which heated fat begins to break down, releasing smoke and acrid odors and giving a burned flavor to foods. Fats with higher smoke points are better suited for frying foods. Reusing fat and exposing it to air lowers the smoke point, so fat should not be used more than a couple of times. The smoke point of an individual fat is affected by processing but the following is a general range for some common fats: Butter: 350ºF Lard: 361ºF to 401ºF Vegetable oils: 441ºF to 450ºF (with the exception of olive oil, which has a relatively low smoke point of about 375ºF)