Effect of energy transfer conditions on the chemical degradation of frying oil

The effects of temperature, heating time (continuous or discontinuous mode), and water steam on sunflower oil deterioration have been investigated. Oil was heated at three temperatures, 120, 150, and 190 °C, during a total period of 60 h to achieve a wide range of degradation degrees. At 190 °C, 9 h of discontinuous heating were achieved, and oil degradation was compared to the previous treatment. Water steam treatment was investigated at two oil temperatures, 120 and 150 °C, by frying food model samples that provided a vapor flow of 1.2 g/min during about 30 h. Energy consumptions of the fryers have been measured for each experiment. Thermooxidative degradation of heated oils was evaluated by the measurement of conjugated dienes, viscosity and total polar compounds. All these indicators showed that for the same heating time, oil degradation was more important at 190 °C, and most of all for an intermittent heating. However, the results showed a good correlation between oil degradation and the fryer energy consumption for all the heating experiments, continuous or discontinuous. The presence of water seemed to modify this correlation. These results highlight the complexity of oil degradation during frying, depending on oil temperature, heating mode and presence of water, which can be expressed in energy consumption.     

Oxidative stability of healthful frying oil medium and uptake of inherent nutraceuticals during deep frying

Four healthful frying oil mediums have been formulated using sunflower (FOB-I), groundnut (FOB-II), mustard (FOB-III), and palm olein (FOB-IV) oils as base oils, and fortified with rice bran and crude sesame oils separately in the ratio of 60∶20∶20 (by vol). Oxidative stabilities have been ascertained by deep-frying potato bajji (potato slices sandwiched with Bengal gram flour) continuously for 60 min for three cycles with a gap of 7 d each. The product had moisture between 12.8 and 16.0% and absorbed fat between 32.5 and 38.1%, making the oil media vulnerable to oxidation. The p-anisidine values for leftover FOB-I and FOB-IV ranged from 10.8 to 24.4 and from 1.5 to 10.7, respectively, indicating that the former was a less and the latter a more stable combination. Hydroperoxide and conjugated dienes were assessed by UV spectrometry at λ_max 230 nm. The O.D. was maximal (1.4) for FOB-I samples for both leftover and absorbed oils for third-cycle experiments. That there was no absorbance for the FOB-III and-IV samples indicated their absence. Estimation of oryzanol and sesamol in oil left over after deep frying and in the oil absorbed by the products indicated that distribution was equal and there was no loss of these active factors during deep frying. The study indicated that sunflower oil blend was the least stable and the palm olein blend was most stable.     

Effect of after-cooking darkening inhibitors on stability of frying oil and quality of french fries

The effect of two after-cooking darkening inhibitors, sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) and calcium acetate (CaAc), and their combined effect on frying oil stability and quality of french fries produced were evaluated over a period of 72 h. Samples of frying oil and par-fried french fries were taken at 3-h intervals through each experiment and analyzed for selected chemical and physical parameters. As the frying time increased, all the oil samples contained increased amounts of deterioration products. The color index and free fatty acid (FFA) values were highly correlated with frying time. There were no significant effects on oil properties in terms of FFA until 9 h of frying among the 4 pretreatments. However, from 12 to 72 h of frying, oil used to fry potatoes treated with SAPP contained less FFA than oils exposed to CaAc alone or in combination with SAPP. The fat content of par-fried french fries was approximately 0.11 g/g dry matter and remained relatively constant during extended frying. After-cooking darkening of par-fried french fries and final color of the fries were affected by the pretreatment, but not by the frying time.     

Effect of oil replenishment during deep-fat frying of frozen foods in sunflower oil and high-oleic acid sunflower oil

Frying stability of sunflower oil (SO) with 23% oleic acid and 61% linoleic acid, and of high-oleic acid sunflower oil (HOSO) with 74% oleic acid and 13% linoleic acid was studied during 20 discontinuous deep-fat fryings of various frozen foods, with or without frequent replenishment of the used oil with fresh oil. Alterations of both oils were measured by column, gas-liquid and high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. Total polar content and compounds, related to thermoxidative changes, and diacylglycerides, related to hydrolytic changes, increased in all oils during frying but reached higher levels in SO than in HOSO. Nevertheless, the increased levels of diacylglycerides observed may result from the frozen potatoes prefried in palm oil. Oleic acid in HOSO and linoleic acid in SO significantly decreased, but the fatty acid modifications that occurred during the repeated fryings were not only related to thermoxidative alteration but also to interactions between the bath oil and the fat in the fried products. Data from this study also indicated that HOSO performed more satisfactorily than SO in repeated fryings of frozen foods. Moreover, frequent addition of fresh oil throughout the deep-frying process minimized thermoxidative and hydrolytic changes in the frying oils and extended the frying life of the oils.     

Iron accumulation in oil during the deep-fat frying of meat

Iron accumulation in oil is a potential problem when frying food containing substantial amounts of iron. Selected meat products (skinless chicken breast, beef liver, and lean beef) were ground and fried (ca. 2-cm spheres, ca. 10 g/sphere) in partially hydrogenated soybean oil (PHSBO). Samples (450 g) of ground meat were fried 3 times/h for 8 h/d for 3 d. Oil samples were collected for analysis for iron (every 8 h) and oil degradation (every 4 h) and replaced with fresh oil. The iron contents of oil samples after 3 d of frying were approximately 0.11, 0.48, and 4.01 mg of iron/kg of PHSBO for the oil used to fry chicken, beef, and liver, respectively. There was a notable darkening in color and an increased tendency to foam for the beef liver oil sample compared with the other samples. After frying, the acid values were 0.9, 1.1, and 1.4 for the oil samples for chicken, beef, and liver, respectively. After frying, the p-anisidine values were 11.5, 12.8, and 32.6 for the oil samples for chicken, beef, and liver, respectively; the food oil sensor values were 0.96, 0.96, and 0.83 for the oil samples for chicken, beef, and liver, respectively.     

High-performance size-exclusion chromatographic studies on a high-oleic acid sunflower oil during potato frying

The behavior of a high-oleic acid sunflower oil used for 75 repeated deep-fat fryings of potatoes, with a fast turnover of fresh oil during frying, was evaluated by measuring the total polar content isolated by column chromatography. The total polar content increased in the oil from 3.6 ± 0.1 (mean ± SD) mg/100 mg unused oil to 7.6 ± 0.4 mg/100 mg oil after being used in 20 repeated fryings, followed by a tendency to reach a near-steady state throughout the successive fryings. Further, the polar fraction was examined by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. Triacylglyceride dimers increased continuously from 0.18 ± 0.01 mg/100 mg unused oil to 2.42 ± 0.12 mg/100 mg oil at the 40th frying with no further significant changes. The amount of triacylglyceride polymers increased from 0.03 ± 0.00 mg/100 mg unused oil to 0.70 ± 0.01 mg/100 mg oil at the 60th frying, but did not increase further with continued frying. Oxidized triacylglycerides also significantly increased from 1.13 ± 0.06 mg/100 mg oil to 3.58 ± 0.09 mg/100 mg oil at the 50th frying to reach a near-steady state in successive fryings. Diacylglycerides and free fatty acids levels, related to hydrolytic alteration, did not change from the starting oil after continued fryings. Data from this study indicated that repeated fryings of potatoes in high-oleic sunflower oil with a frequent turnover of fresh oil throughout the frying slightly increased the level of polar material in the fryer oil during the first fryings, followed by minor changes and a tendency to reach a near-steady state in successive fryings.     

Review of stability measurements for frying oils and fried food flavor

Measurements of degradation in frying oils based on oil physical properties and volatile and nonvolatile decomposition products were reviewed. Rapid methods by means of test kits were also considered. Factors that affect the analysis of total polar components (TPC) in frying oils were examined. Relationships between TPC, free fatty acid (FFA) content, Food Oil Sensor readings (FOS), color change (ΔE), oil fry life and fried-food flavor were evaluated. Flavor scores for codfish, fried in fresh and discarded commercial frying oil blends, were dependent upon individuals in the consumer panel (n=77). Part (n=29) of the panel preferred the flavor of fresh fat; others (n=24) didn't; the rest (n=24) had no preference. FFA, FOS and TPC were analyzed in two soybean oils and in palm olein during a four-day period in which french fries were fried. Flavor score and volatiles of potatoes fried on days 1 and 4 in each oil were also determined. TPC, FFA and FOS significantly increased (P<0.05) in all oils during the frying period. TPC and FFA were highest in the used palm olein, and flavor of potatoes fried in palm olein on day 1 was less desirable than those fried in the soybean oils. Potatoes fried in day-1 oils had significantly higher concentrations (P<0.10) of several pyrazines and aldehydes than those fried in day-4 oils. Presented at the 84th Annual Meeting of the American Oil Chemists' Society, Anaheim, California, April 25–29, 1993.     

A new spectrophotometric method for the rapid assessment of deep frying oil quality

A new and quick spectrophotometric method was developed to assess deep-frying oil quality. The scanned spectrophotometric curves of the frying oil samples from 350 and 650 nm wavelength changed systematically with the duration of deep frying. The absorbances of the frying oil samples, especially those measured at 490 nm, increased significantly during frying and were significantly correlated to frying time (r ≥0.95, P<0.001). There was a strong correlation between the absorbances of a set of oil samples taken from 0 to 80 h of deep frying and total polar compound contents in the same set of oil samples analyzed using the American Oil Chemists' Society official method (r=0.974, P<0.001). The equation for conversion of the absorbances to total polar compound contents is y=−2.7865x ² +23.782x+1.0309. The absorbances of 10 different types of frying oils with samples taken from 0 to 80 h of deep frying in duplicate were also strongly correlated to total polar compounds in the same oil samples (r=0.953, P<0.001, n=220). The results show that this method is fast, simple, convenient, and reliable.     

The effect of different porous media on moisture loss and oil absorption profiles during frying using glass micromodels

Microstructure plays a key role in oil absorption during frying. The aim of this work was to improve our understanding of the relationship between microstructure and oil absorption, through the use of glass micromodels to obtain evidence of transport phenomena in three porous networks. Micromodels were saturated with water and partially immersed in oil at 190°C. Moisture and oil profiles were imaged to get water and oil saturation maps. Image and fractal analyses were performed to describe the morphology of the evaporation and oil fronts. Results showed that higher porosity facilitated the moisture removal and promoted greater oil absorption during cooling. The fractal dimension showed that microstructures with a relatively high number of fine capillaries were less stable and propitiated fingering during the advance of the evaporation front. In all matrices, the disruption of the surface oil film due to air penetration was a critical factor to stop oil imbibition. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 629–638, 2016     

Ethanolysis of used frying oil. Biodiesel preparation and characterization

The transesterification reaction of used frying oil by means of ethanol, using sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium methoxide, and potassium methoxide as catalysts, was studied. The objective of the work was to characterize the ethyl esters for its use as biodiesels in compression ignition motors. The operation variables used were ethanol/oil molar ratio (6:1–12:1), catalyst concentration (0.1–1.5 wt.%), temperature (35–78 °C), and catalyst type. The evolution of the process was followed by gas chromatography, determining the concentration of the ethyl esters at different reaction times. The biodiesel was characterized by its density, viscosity, flash point, combustion point, cold filter plugging point, cloud and pour points, Conradson carbon residue, characteristics of distillation, cetane index and high heating value according to ISO norms. The biodiesel with the best properties was obtained using an ethanol/oil molar ratio of 12:1, potassium hydroxide as catalyst (1%), and 78 °C temperature. The density, viscosity, cetane index, Conradson carbon residue and calorific power of the biodiesel obtained had values close to those of a no. 2 diesel. On the contrary, the cold filter plugging point, and cloud and pour points are higher than the conventional diesel fuel. Although higher, flash and combustion points fulfil the norms for ethyl esters derived from vegetable oils. In consequence, the final product obtained had very similar characteristics to a no. 2 diesel oil, and therefore, these ethyl esters might be used as an alternative to fossil fuels. The two-stage transesterification was better than the one-stage process, and the yields of ethyl esters were improved 30% in relation with the one-stage transesterification.     

Flavor stability and quality of high-oleate and regular soybean oil blends during frying

The percentages of oleate (18∶1), linoleate (18∶2), and linolenate (18∶3) in blended soybean oils (SBO) were evaluated for their impact on flavor stability and quality in fried foods. Six SBO treatments, including a control (conventional SBO, 21.5% 18∶1) and a high-18∶1 SBO (HO, 79% 18∶1), were tested. In addition, these two oils were mixed in different ratios to make three blended oils containing 36.9, 50.7, and 64.7% 18∶1, abbreviated as 37%OA, 51%OA, and 65%OA, respectively. Also, a low-18∶3 (LL) SBO containing 1.4% 18∶3 and 25.3% 18∶1 was tested. Bread cubes (8.19 cm³) were fried in each of 18 oils (6 treatments ×3 replicates). The fresh and stored bread cubes fried in 79%OA were second to the cubes fried in LL in overall flavor quality, were the weakest in intensity of stale, grassy, fishy, cardboard, and burnt flavors by sensory evaluation, and contained the least amounts of hexanal, hexanal, t-2-heptenal, t,t-2,4-nonadienal, and t,t-2,4-decadienal in volatile analysis. Other treatments were intermediate in these sensory and instrumental evaluations, as related to their 18∶1, 18∶2, and 18∶3 concentrations. In general, the results suggested that the overall flavor stability and eating quality of foods fried in the six oil treatments from the best to the poorest would be: LL≥79%OA, 65%OA, 51%OA, 37%OA, and control.     

Performance of sunflower oil with high levels of oleic and palmitic acids during industrial frying of almonds,peanuts, and sunflower seeds

High-oleic, high-palmitic sunflower oil (HOHPSO) is a seed oil from a new mutant sunflower line characterized by increased levels of both oleic acid (>50%) and palmitic acid (>25%) and a high oxidative stability. In this study, its performance at frying temperature was compared with that of palm olein in thermoxidative assays (4 h, 180°C). Also, industrial discontinuous frying of almonds, peanuts, and sunflower seeds (200 kg of each product) was carried out to define both the performance of HOHPSO and the main changes undergone by the foods. The evaluation of polar compounds and their distribution in the main groups, i.e., polymers, oxidized monomers, and DAG, as well as changes in tocopherols and oxidative stability, demonstrated the excellent behavior of HOHPSO during thermoxidation and frying. The increase in polar compounds and the loss of tocopherols and stability were much lower for HOHPSO than for palm olein under identical heating conditions. Only 1.3% polar compounds were formed during industrial discontiuous frying for 4 h and the oil stability increased, probably due to the formation of antioxidant compounds. As for the foods, the FA composition of the surface oil was clearly different from that corresponding to the internal oil, the former denoting the presence of HOHPSO in high concentration, particularly in fried sunflower seeds. Changes in oil stability of the foods attributable to the frying process clearly demonstrate the interest in using a highly stable oil such as HOHPSO to protect the surface against oxidation during food storage.     

Protecting oil during frying: A comparative study

The effect of carbon dioxide blanketing (CDB) and vacuum frying (VF) on the frying performance of regular canola oil was evaluated. For 7 h daily and for 7 days French fries were fried in regular canola oil at 185 ± 5 °C without and with CDB and in a vacuum fryer. The extent of changes in the oil was assessed by analysis of total polar compounds (TPC), anisidine value (AV), color component formation and changes in composition of fatty acids and tocopherols. Frying under CDB reduced the amount of TPC by 54%, while 76% reduction was observed during VF compared to standard frying conditions (SFC). Similarly, lower oxidative degradation was observed when measured by AV. At the end of the frying period, the reduction in unsaturated fatty acid content was 3.8, 1.9 and 12.7% when frying under CDB, vacuum and SFC, respectively. The rate of tocopherol degradation was three and twelve times slower in VF when compared to CDB and SFC, respectively.     

Effect of vacuum frying on the oxidative stability of oils

The purpose of this study was to evaluate frying oil quality with different assessment methods during vacuum frying of carrot slices. In six consecutive days, palm oil, lard, and soybean oil were fried under vacuum at 105°C for 20 min each hour in an 8-h shift. Peroxide value, acid value, carbonyl value, total polar components, dielectric constant (Food Oil Sensor reading), viscosity, and fatty acid composition were used to evaluate the quality of these oils. Results showed that palm oil and lard possess greater thermal stability than soybean oil. The decrease in C_18:2/C_16:0 ratio was greater for soybean oil than the other two oils. Of the assessment methods used, peroxide value, carbonyl value, total polar components, and dielectric constant all showed good correlation with frying time and between each other. Viscosity was suitable to assess vacuum-fried lard and soybean oil, but not palm oil. The measurement of dielectric constant, on the other hand, appeared to be unsuitable to assess vacuum-fried soybean oil.     

Effect of methanol content on enzymatic production of biodiesel from waste frying oil

The enzymatic production of biodiesel from waste frying oil with methanol has been studied using immobilized lipase Novozym 435 as catalyst. The effects of methanol to oil molar ratio, dosage of enzyme and reaction time were investigated. The optimum reaction conditions were methanol to oil molar ratio of 25:1, 10% of Novozym 435 based on oil weight and reaction period of 4 h at 50 °C obtaining a biodiesel yield of 89.1%. Moreover, the reusability of the lipase over repeated cycles was also investigated under standard conditions.     

Effects of flour sources on acrylamide formation and oil uptake in fried batters

Food batters were formulated using flours of long-grain rice, waxy rice, wheat, or corn. Acrylamide and oil analyses were conducted for the flour and the corresponding fried batter. During frying, the formation of acrylamide ranged from 82 ng/g for the long-grain rice batter to 263 ng/g for the corn batter. Oil uptake ranged from 21.4% for the long-grain rice batter to 47.3% for the wheat batter. The incorporation of 5% pregelatinized rice flour and 1.5–3.0% milk as functional additives into the long-grain rice batter only slightly increased the acrylamide and oil contents.     

Explorative spectrometric evaluations of frying oil deterioration

The potential of spectroscopy as a reliable and fast method for determining the deterioration of frying oils was investigated. Daily oil samples were collected from a commercial Chinese spring roll plant. The plant was operated one shift, 5 d a week, then cleaned and restarted with fresh oil every 4 wk. Each oil sample was analyzed by 11 chemical/physical methods and fluorescence, near infrared/visible (NIR/VIS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and FT-Raman spectroscopic procedures. The results were evaluated and compared by principal-component analysis and partial least squares regression. Most chemical/physical and all spectroscopic methods detected the deterioration during the first half of the frying cycle. Thereafter, an equilibrium occurred between deterioration processes and replenishment with new oil. At equilibrium, the correlation between frying time and the various methods was nonlinear. FT-IR with the attenuated total reflectance sampling technique was the most direct and accurate method of monitoring gross changes in the frying oil. Fluorescence was the technique that provided the best models for anisidine value, oligomers, iodine value, and vitamin E. NIR/VIS spectroscopy proved to be a good general-purpose technique. The study demonstrated that spectroscopic sensors have the potential to replace titration and chromatographic procedures, and can be used in combination with chemometric data analysis to optimize deep-frying operations.     

Feasibility of recycling used frying oil using membrane process

A study was carried out to improve the quality of used frying oils and to assess the feasibility of recycling using a membrane process. Experiments were conducted with used frying oils in a flat membrane batch cell using polymeric membranes. The total polar materials and oxidation products, which normally lead to the deterioration of frying oils, were reduced by 32 to 42% and 14 to 48% during NTGS‐2200 membrane processing. Color and viscosity of the used frying oil, which are the main criteria for discontinuing use in many restaurants and homes, were improved to the extent of fresh oil. The membrane processing was effective for improving the overall quality. However, reductions of phosphatides and color compounds, presumably melanoidines, may be responsible for a deterioration of oil stability. The permeate flux values were in the range of 63 to 121 g/(m² h). The permeate flux was found to be inversely proportional to the viscosity of the oil. The stability of the processed oil as well as the permeate flux must be improved for commercial application.