Food Frying

2Frying Techniques

2.1 Introduction

Unlike the art, the science of frying is rather complex, involving multifaceted high‐energy interactions among several components, primarily the frying medium, water, air, metals, and the frying food. The relatively uncontrolled chemical reactions arising from these complex interactions often lead to a progressive deterioration of the frying oil, compromising both the sensorial and the safety qualities of the food (Aladedunye 2015). The economic loss associated with the disposal of spent frying oils, wastage of foods due to shortened shelf lives, consumption of fried foods prepared under poor management, and health consequences of toxic compounds generated from frying facilities cannot be overemphasized (Ghidurus et al. 2010; Gueraud et al. 2010; Sebastian et al. 2014).

Research in the past 60 years has been geared towards understanding the science of frying with a view to enhancing the fry life of the oil, improving the safety and quality of the fried food by limiting oil absorption/adsorption and the formation of toxic components, prolonging shelf life, and protecting the health of frying operators by limiting the formation of toxic fumes during the frying process. These are the core principles of the various symposia on deep fat frying held by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Fettwissenschaft e.V. (DGF), the German Society for Fat Research, and similar organizations (DGF 2000, 2013). Indeed, the versatility of the frying process and the pressing ...