Quality assessment of frying oil degradation

Deep-fat frying is a quick method of cooking that produces a product with attractive organoleptic properties. However, the degradation of frying oil that occurs thr ough series of reactions and the transfer of a substantial amount of oil to the product raises health concerns. The main oil degradation reactions are oxidation, hydrolysis, and polymerization. Each reaction produces specific compounds that negatively affect health, reduce the foods, and oil quality. Hence, frying oil must be discarded when it reaches a certain level of degradation. There are several methods to detect the degradation of oil, such as the peroxide value, free fatty acids, p-anisidine value, and total polar compounds. The fatty acid profile (FAP) of frying oils is a good indicator of their stability. FAP changes with the degradation of oil by the breakdown of unsaturated fatty acids because of their susceptibility to oxidation. According to the American Oil Chemists Society, official methods, rapid methods, and test kits are being developed to reduce time, chemicals, and/or subjectivity of the test methods.