Rapid Assessment of Frying Performance Using Small Size Samples of Oils/Fats

A rapid, effective test mimicking actual frying was developed to assess the frying performance of oils and fats using small size samples. To a small volume of the oil to be tested, a formulated food consisting of gelatinized potato starch, glucose and silica gel (4:1:1 w/w) were added and content heated at 185 ± 5 °C with mixing for 2 h. Thermo-oxidative degradation of the oil was assessed by the measurement of the total amount of polar components and their composition, including degradation of tocopherols. The developed fast test accurately mimics actual frying done using an institutional fryer as assessed by the accumulation and composition of total polar components and the amount of residual tocopherols. The validity of the test was assessed using the following oils: regular canola, high oleic– low linolenic canola, and high oleic sunflower. Comparison of data between the fast frying test and institutional frying revealed a lack of significant differences. The developed frying test provides reliable quantitative and qualitative data describing the performance of the frying oil/fat. The rapid frying procedure allows assessment of the frying performance of oils at the early stages of development where usually only small amounts of the sample are available and when a large number of samples have to be tested assessing effects of oil additives.     

Antioxidative properties of phenolic acids and interaction with endogenous minor components during frying

The ability of selected phenolic acids to improve the frying performance of canola oil was evaluated in a frying test. The frying performance of the oil was assessed by analysis of total polar components (TPC), level of 4‐hydroxynonenal (HNE), and the rate of formation of volatile carbonyl compounds (VCC). All the tested phenolic acids; ferulic acid (FA), caffeic acid (CA), dihydrocaffeic acid (HCA), gallic acid (GA), and vanillic acid (VA) significantly increased the frying performance of canola oil triacylglycerols (CTG). At the end of the frying test, the amount of TPC in CTG was 22.9 ± 1.0% compared to a maximum of 18.8 ± 0.8% in CTG fortified with the phenolic acids. Similarly, the level of HNE was reduced by up to 45% when it was supplemented with phenolic acids. The results showed that ethyl ferulate (EF) was a better antioxidant than FA under frying conditions; HCA offered a slightly better protection than CA; and the cinnamic acid derivative, FA was better than VA, its benzoic acid analogue. A significant synergy was observed between phenolic acids and the sterol fraction isolated from canola oil. The observed synergy was attributed to the possible formation of steryl phenolates during the frying test. Practical applications: The poor thermal stability of polyunsaturated oils limits their application for prolonged frying. PUFA offer important health benefits and can improve nutritional value of fried foods. Contrary to the commonly applied synthetic antioxidants, the phenolic acids tested in this study often are part of endogenous oil components present in oilseeds and also in some oils, and are known for their positive health benefits. Thus, the simple phenolic acids, especially the cinnamic acid derivatives may be applied as potent antioxidants to protect oils during thermal processes used for food production.     

Impact of Canolol‐Enriched Extract from Heat‐Treated Canola Meal to Enhance Oil Quality Parameters in Deep‐Frying: a Comparison with Rosemary Extract and TBHQ‐Fortified Oil Systems

Canolol‐enriched extracts obtained from the extraction of fluidized bed treated canola meal with supercritical carbon dioxide were added to high‐oleic canola oil in different concentrations (200, 500 and 750 mg/kg). After 30 h of deep‐fat frying, oils fortified with canolol‐enriched extracts showed a two to three times better frying performance in comparison to the commonly used antioxidants (TBHQ, 200 mg/kg; rosemary extract, 40 and 200 mg/kg) and a control without antioxidants with regards to the formation of di‐ and polymer triacylglycerols, total polar compounds, secondary degradation products (anisidine value) and the iodine value. The canolol‐enriched extracts were also able to slow down the degradation of α‐ and γ‐tocopherol during frying resulting in significant amounts of tocopherols after 30 h of frying in comparison to the other oils. The influence of the canolol‐enriched extracts indicated strongly concentration‐dependent performance. With increasing concentration of the extract, the thermal stability of the fortified oil was improved. The only disadvantage of the addition of the extracts was an increase in the initial acid value, but within the frying time, only oil fortified with 750 mg canolol‐enriched extract/kg reached the limit given in different countries.     

Frying performance of genetically modified canola oils

The frying performance of low linolenic and high oleic canola oils was compared to regular and hydrogenated canola oils. The antifoaming agent dimethylpolysiloxane (2 ppm) was added to all frying oils. Potato chips were fried in the four oils over a 5-d period for a total of 40 h of frying. Oil samples were collected each day and analyzed for conjugated dienoic acids, free fatty acids, polymers, oxidation products, and polar components. Polar components were determined by the gravimetric method and by thin-layer chromatography with flame-ionization detection. The initial quality of the four oils was similar except in the amount of tocopherols present. All oils deteriorated after 5 d of frying but differences were not as anticipated, possibly as a result of observed differences in tocopherol levels.     

Performance of Regular and Modified Canola and Soybean Oils in Rotational Frying

Canola and soybean oils both regular and with modified fatty acid compositions by genetic modifications and hydrogenation were compared for frying performance. The frying was conducted at 185 ± 5 °C for up to 12 days where French fries, battered chicken and fish sticks were fried in succession. Modified canola oils, with reduced levels of linolenic acid, accumulated significantly lower amounts of polar components compared to the other tested oils. Canola oils generally displayed lower amounts of oligomers in their polar fraction. Higher rates of free fatty acids formation were observed for the hydrogenated oils compared to the other oils, with canola frying shortening showing the highest amount at the end of the frying period. The half-life of tocopherols for both regular and modified soybean oils was 1–2 days compared to 6 days observed for high-oleic low-linolenic canola oil. The highest anisidine values were observed for soybean oil with the maximum reached on the 10th day of frying. Canola and soybean frying shortenings exhibited a faster rate of color formation at any of the frying times. The high-oleic low-linolenic canola oil exhibited the greatest frying stability as assessed by polar components, oligomers and non-volatile carbonyl components formation. Moreover, food fried in the high-oleic low-linolenic canola oil obtained the best scores in the sensory acceptance assessment.     

Determination of nonvolatile components in polar fractions of rice bran oils

High-oryzanol rice brain oil (HORBO), rice bran oil (RBO), and partially hydrogenated soybean oil (PHSBO) were used to prepare french fries. Polar fractions of the three oils were analyzed for nonvolatile components by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with ELSD. In all frying experiments, both HORBO and RBO yielded predominantly dimeric and monomeric materials. The concentrations of polymeric species in HORBO and RBO were greater than in PHSBO. The major degradation products from HORBO, RBO, and PHSBO were dimers (8.93 mg/100 mg oil), monomers (10.5 mg/100 mg oil), and DG (22.4 mg/100 mg oil), respectively. Thermal degradation via hydrolysis was much greater in PHSBO than in HORBO or RBO. Distribution data indicated that the extent of polymer formation from frying was in the order RBO>HORBO >PHSBO, consistent with the degree of lipid unsaturation and the oryzanol content in these oils. HPSEC-ELSD results from the two RBO showed that the amounts of various polymeric species, including trimers and higher polymers, were lower in HORBO than in RBO. The percentage of polar materials and the percentage of polymerized TG, which were used as indicators of oil quality and stability, decreased with increasing tocopherol and oryzanol contents in the order PHSBO>HORBO>RBO.     

Anti-Rancidity Effects of Sesame and Rice Bran Oils on Canola Oil During Deep Frying

In this study, the effect of sesame oil (SEO) and rice bran oil (RBO) on the rancidity of canola oil (CAO) during the process of frying potato pieces at 180 °C was investigated. The SEO and RBO were added to the CAO at levels of 3 and 6%. Frying stability of the oil samples during the frying process was measured on the basis of total polar compounds (TPC) content, conjugated diene value (CDV), acid value (AV), and carbonyl value (CV). In general, frying stability of the CAO significantly (P < 0.05) improved in the presence of the SEO and RBO. The positive effect of the SEO on the stability of the CAO was more than that of the RBO. Increasing the amounts of SEO and RBO from 3 to 6% led to decreases in the TPC and AV, and increases in the CDV and CV of the CAO during the frying process. The best frying performance for the CAO was obtained by use of 3% of both SEO and RBO together (CAO/SEO/RBO, 94:3:3 w/w/w).     

A non‐extractable condensed‐tannins fiber reduces thermal oxidation in oils at frying temperature

Several compounds presenting antioxidant properties have been tested in frying oils to delay thermal oxidation of the triglycerides containing unsaturated fatty acids. The present study was designed to evaluate, for the first time, the antioxidant and antipolymerizing effects of addition of Exxenterol®, a denatured carob fiber very rich in non‐extractable tannins, on olive oil (OO), sunflower oil (SO) and a homogeneous blend of both oils. Exxenterol was added to the three oils in amounts of 50, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg oil before heating. After 36 h of heating at 180 °C, there was a large and relevant increase of the polar material and the polymer contents, but tocopherol decreased to non‐detectable levels in all three oils. Polar content, polymer and thermal oxidation formation (p ≤0.004) and tocopherol degradation (p ≤0.022) were significantly and dose‐dependently inhibited by Exxenterol. Both polar material and polymer formation were inhibited (at least by 44%) in OO and SO and at least by 27% in the oil blend when 1000 mg/kg oil of this product was added. Small but detectable amounts of tocopherol were found in the oil blend containing 50 mg Exxenterol/kg. The results clearly show that this non‐extractable tannin‐rich fiber can be successfully employed as an additive to prolong oil shelf life at frying temperature.     

Effect of tocopherols on the frying stability of regular and modified canola oils

A study was conducted to compare the relationship between frying stability and levels and degradation rates of tocopherols in regular and three modified canola oils. Oils were heated at 175 ± 2°C for a total of 72 h, with french fries fried intermittently. Frying stability was compared based on the rates of formation of free fatty acids (FFA) and total polar compounds (TPC). Significant differences (P<0.05) were identified between oils using analysis of covariance and t-tests for multiple comparisons. No significant differences were observed in the rates of FFA formation among the canola oils during frying. Nevertheless, regular canola (RCO) and high-oleic, low-linolenic acid canola (HOLLCO) oils produced less FFA compared to higholeic LLCO and HOCO both had significantly (P<0.05) faster rates of TPC formation compared to HOLLCO or RCO. HOLLCO with the highest level of tocopherols (893 mg/kg) exhibited a slow rate of degradation which accounted for a halflife of 48–60 h of frying. RCO, with a lower level of tocopherols (565 mg/kg), however, had the slowest degradation rate with a half-liofe of >72 h. In contrast, HOCO and LLCO with 601 and 468 mg/kg tocopherols, respectively, both exhibited a half-life for tocopherols of 3–6 h of frying. An inverse relatioship was observed between TPC formation and the reduction of tocopherol. Thus, the greater frying stability of RCO and HOLLCO appears to be affected far more by the rate of tocopherol degradation than by any changes in fatty acid composition.     

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.     

Tocol-derived minor constituents in selected plant seed oils

Various crude and processed seed oils were analyzed for tocopherols (T) and tocotrienols (T₃) by reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection (FL). The oils included processed canola oil, crude corn oil, crude milkweed oil, crude palm oil, crude/processed rice bran oils, crude/processed soybean oil, crude/processed sunflower oil, and related modified oil, crude/processed sunflower oil, and related modified oil varieties. The HPLC system consisted of a pentafluorophenylsilica (PFPS) column and a mobile phase of methanol and water. The results of comparative methodological studies with rice bran oils and milkweed oils indicated that the reversed-phase PEPS-HPLC method in conjunction with the use of less hazardous solvents proved to be superior and a viable alternative to the conventional normal-phase HPLC method. Unlike the traditional nonpolar octadecylsilica phase, which fails to resolve β-γ pairs of T and T₃, HPLC with the unique polar PFPS column enables separations of all compounds of interest. Except for palm oil, βT and γT were detected in all other crude oils. Although most milkweed oils contained moderale levels of βT and γT, the βT species was present in relatively low abundance in edible oils despite the observation of fairly high concentrations of γT in the latter oils. βT₃ and γT₃ were detected along with αT₃ and σT₃ only in palm and rice bran oils. Tocolderived antioxidant distribution data for zero-time processed oils provided potential utility in correlation studies of frying quality and stability. The variable distribution data for crude oils shed some light on market profitability of oilseeds with rich sources of vitamin E-related minor constituents.     

Frying performance of a sunflower/palm oil blend in comparison with pure palm oil

The aim of this study was to test the performance of a vegetable oil blend formulated as alternative to pure palm oil as frying medium. For this purpose, the evolution of many analytical parameters (free acidity, spectrophotometric indices, total polar components, fatty acid composition, short‐chain fatty acids, tocopherol and tocotrienol content and composition, color, flavor evaluated by means of an electronic nose) of the selected blend (sunflower/palm oil 65 : 35 vol/vol) has been monitored during a prolonged frying process (8 h discontinuous frying without oil replenishment) in comparison to pure palm oil. Sensory attributes of the fried food were also evaluated. The blend proved to keep qualitative parameters comparable to those shown by palm oil during the prolonged frying process. Even if some oxidation indices, such as spectrophotometric indices, short‐chain fatty acids and total polar components, increased faster in the blend, it showed a higher tocopherol content and a lower increment in free fatty acids as compared to pure palm oil. Chips fried in the two oils did not show significantly different sensory profiles.     

Palm olein quality parameter changes during industrial production of potato chips

New legislation introduced in South Africa for the quality of used frying oils has resulted in the need to identify quicker, more suitable methods that correlate well with results from two official methods, namely, total polymerized glycerides and total polar components. Oil and product samples were taken at regular intervals during a commercial frying process in palm olein. Oil samples were analyzed for a number of different quality parameters viz. tocopherol content, dielectric constant, total polymerized glycerides, total polar components, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) content, anisidine value, Rancimat induction period, and free fatty acid content, and the results statistically compared to results from official methods. Oil was expressed from product stored under accelerated conditions and analyzed for the same quality parameters. Fried product was also subjected to sensory evaluation to measure the degree of oil deterioration and sensory preference. The frying trial was successfully executed with refined, bleached, and deodorized palm olein and the frying oil used to a free fatty acid (FFA) content of 0.41%. Oil and product sampling were done at different FFA value levels. Frying oil quality was verified at the onset of the trial and at regular intervals. The frying oil total polar component value increased to approximately half of the limit set by the official regulation. This point was reached mainly due to the high starting value of the fresh oil. Frying oil total polymerized glycerides increased from below 1% to 2.1%. This increase is negligible when compared to the general trend for polyunsaturated oils. The alternative laboratory methods used for predicting oil quality can be rated as follows: total tocopherol content >dielectric constant >FFA >TBHQ content >anisidine value >Rancimat induction period. The first three methods correlated well with total polar component levels and it is recommended that the dielectric constant and FFA measurements be applied for monitoring oil condition during frying. It is possible that viscosity changes could be used for the monitoring of polyunsaturated frying oils. Evaluation of oil extracted from product revealed a negligible effect of non-oil components on oil quality parameters. The same was observed when product was stored at −10°C and at 37°C.     

Fractionation of oligomeric triacylglycerides and the relation to rejection limits for used frying oils

Precipitates enriched in oligomeric triacylglycerides were separated from thermally oxidized olive residue oil, conventional and high-oleic sunflower oils, and soybean oil by solvent fractionation in methanol/acetone at 4–5°C for 16 h. Different fractionation conditions were evaluated in an effort to isolate the oligomeric triacylglycerides (OTG). OTG, formed in frying oils upon heating at low concentations, were not detectable with conventional methods to determine polymeric compounds. The best conditions found from the different assays were the following: (i) weight of oil sample-to-solvent volume ratio of 1∶20; and (ii) solvent system methanol/acetone 10∶90 (vol/vol) for monounsaturated oils and 15∶85 (vol/vol) for polyunsaturated oils. Precipitates, enriched in oligomers, were formed when heated oils and used frying oils contained more than 27% polar compounds, a value which is widely accepted as the upper limit for use of frying oils.     

Frying stability of soybean and canola oils with modified fatty acid compositions

Pilot plant-processed samples of soybean and canola (lowerucic acid rapeseed) oil with fatty acid compositions modified by mutation breeding and/or hydrogenation were evaluated for frying stability. Linolenic acid contents were 6.2% for standard soybean oil, 3.7% for low-linolenic soybean oil and 0.4% for the hydrogenated low-linolenic soybean oil. The linolenic acid contents were 10.1% for standard canola oil, 1.7% for canola modified by breeding and 0.8% and 0.6% for oils modified by breeding and hydrogenation. All modified oils had significantly (P<0.05) less room odor intensity after initial heating tests at 190°C than the standard oils, as judged by a sensory panel. Panelists also judged standard oils to have significantly higher intensities for fishy, burnt, rubbery, smoky and acrid odors than the modified oils. Free fatty acids, polar compounds and foam heights during frying were significantly (P<0.05) less in the low-linolenic soy and canola oils than the corresponding unmodified oils after 5 h of frying. The flavor quality of french-fried potatoes was significantly (P<0.05) better for potatoes fried in modified oils than those fried in standard oils. The potatoes fried in standard canola oil were described by the sensory panel as fishy.     

Chemical and physical analyses and sensory evaluation of six deep-frying oils

The performance of three high-oleic canola oils with different levels of linolenic acid [low-linolenic canola (LLC), medium-linolenic canola (MLC), and high-linolenic canola (HLC)], a medium-high-oleic sunflower oil, a commercial palm olein and a commercial, partially hydrogenated canola oil, was monitored by chemical and physical analyses and sensory evaluation during two 80-h deep-frying trials with potato chips. Linolenic acid content was a critical factor in the deep-frying performance of the high-oleic canola oils and was inversely related to both the sensory ranking of the food fried in the oils and the oxidative stability of the oils (as measured by color index, free fatty acid content, and total polar compounds). LLC and sunflower oil were ranked the best of the six oils in sensory evaluation, although LLC performed significantly better than sunflower oil in color index, free fatty acid content, and total polar compounds. MLC was as good as palm olein in sensory evaluation, but was better than palm olein in oxidative stability. Partially hydrogenated canola oil received the lowest scores in sensory evaluation. High-oleic canola oil (Monola) with 2.5% linolenic acid was found to be very well suited for deep frying.     

Storage stability of potato chips fried in genetically modified canola oils

The storage stability of potato chips fried in regular (RCO), hydrogenated (HYCO), low-linolenic (LLCO), and high-oleic (HOCO) canola oils was compared. Potato chips were fried in each oil over a 5-d period for a total of 40 h of frying. Chips from frying day 1 and 5 were packaged and stored at 60°C for 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 d. Lipids were extracted from the stored chips and analyzed for peroxide values, free fatty acids (FFA), conjugated dienoic acids (CDA), and polar components. A trained sensory panel evaluated the stored chips for odors characteristic of oxidation. Chips were also analyzed for volatile components. Potato chips fried in RCO, LLCO and HOCO developed an intense painty odor, whereas chips fried in HYCO developed an intense stale/musty odor by the end of the 16 d of storage. Chips fried in RCO had greater rates of accumulation of peroxides, FFA, CDA, and polar components and developed higher levels of total volatiles over the 16 d of storage than chips fried in the other three oils. Chips fried in HYCO had lower rates of accumulation of peroxides and CDA than chips fried in LLCO and HOCO, and lower rates of FFA accumulation than chips fried in LLCO. Chips fried in HYCO and HOCO had the lowest amounts of total volatiles during storage. The effect of oil degradation products on potato chip storage stability was not shown in this study since only the chips fried in HYCO from frying day 5 exhibited a significantly greater rate of off-odor development than chips from frying day 1, and only the chips fried in LLCO from frying day 5 had a greater rate of accumulation of volatiles than chips from frying day 1.     

Effect of Deep-Fat Frying on Phytosterol Content in Oils with Differing Fatty Acid Composition

The objective of this study was to determine the fate of phytosterols in vegetable oils with varying fatty acid composition used for frying. High oleic sunflower (HOSun), corn (Corn), hydrogenated soybean (HSBO), expeller pressed soybean (ESBO), and expeller pressed low-linolenic acid soybean oil (ELLSBO) were used for frying potato chips in a pilot plant-scale continuous fryer. The same oils, and regular soybean oil (SBO) were also used in intermittent batch frying of tortilla chips. Phytosterols were measured in oils collected at various times during frying by GC to determine their loss. The formation of polymerized triacylglycerides (PTAGs) and total polar compounds (TPC) were analyzed to determine the extent of oil degradation. In the continuous frying system, phytosterol loss ranged between 4 and 6% in ESBO, ELLSBO, HOSun, and Corn, with no loss in HSBO. PTAGs and TPC were highest in ESBO and ELLSBO, followed by Corn, HOSun, and HSBO. In the batch frying experiment, phytosterol loss ranged from 1 to 15%, and was highest in Corn followed by SBO and HSBO. There was no significant loss of phytosterols in ESBO, ELLSBO, and HOSun. Formation of PTAGs and TPC during batch frying was highest in SBO and ESBO, followed by Corn, ELLSBO, HOSun, and HSBO. In conclusion, phytosterol loss in both the continuous fryer and in the batch frying system appeared to be unrelated either to fatty acid composition, or to the extent of oil degradation. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture.     

Degradation and Nutritional Quality Changes of Oil During Frying

The changes in regular canola oil as affected by frying temperature were studied. French fries were fried intermittently in canola oil that was heated for 7 h daily over seven consecutive days. Thermo-oxidative alterations of the oil heated at 185 ± 5 or 215 ± 5 °C were measured by total polar components (TPC), anisidine value (AV), color components formation, and changes in fatty acid composition and tocopherols. Results showed that TPC, AV, color and trans fatty acid content increased significantly (P < 0.05) as a function of frying temperature and time. The oil polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) decreased in direct proportion to frying temperature and time. After 7 days of frying, the amount of PUFA was reduced by half and the trans isomers contribution increased 2.5 times during frying at 215 °C. Of the parameters assessed, total polar component and color had the highest correlation, with correlation coefficients of 0.9650 and 0.9302 for frying at 215 and 185 °C, respectively. TPC formation correlated inversely with the reduction of tocopherols.     

Influence of chemical refining on the major and minor components of rice brain oil

The effects of each individual step of the chemical refining process on major and minor components of rice bran oil were examined. In comparison with common vegetable oils, rice brain oil contains a significantly higher level of several bioactive minor components such as γ-oryzanol, tocotrienols, and phytosterols. Alkali treatment or neutralization results in a significant loss of oryzanol. In addition, it gives rise to a change in the individual phytosterol composition. After bleaching, some isomers of 24-methylenecycloartanol were detected. Because of their relatively high volatility, phytosterols and tocotrienols are stripped from the rice brain oil during deodorization and concentrated in the deodorizer distillate. At the same time, oryzanol is not volatile enough to be stripped during deodorization; hence, the oryzanol concentration does not change after deodorization. Complete refining removed 99.5% of the FFA content. Depending on the applied deodorization conditions, trans FA can be formed, but the total trans content generally remains below 1%.