To verify the effect of long-range UV spectrophotometry in detection and identification of oils of different quality.Methods Rapid detection equipment was developed and ultraviolet absorption method was used for the detection. Samples were collected during food safety supervision in Suzhou, including 65 frying oil, 37 hot pot red oil, 3 suspected recycled cooking oil from catering units and 111 gutter oil blind samples. All samples were subjected to rapid detection and analysis, and compared with laboratory test results. Results The method could effectively detect gutter oil, frying oil and hot pot red oil, and the rate of accuracy was up to 79.28% in the blind sample test.Conclusion The instrument could be applied in food safety supervision at the local level for edible oil.