A frying oil maintenance schedule is important when it comes to the quality of food being sent out of your kitchen.
Several external factors can cause the breakdown of your frying oil. Light, soaps and oxygen can contribute to the oxidation of oil. While we cannot prevent the exposure of oil to air, we can limit oil’s exposure to certain light. Avoid fluorescent lights if possible. Ultraviolet light damages fats and oils. Contaminants can come from many sources including the types of food being fried, the application of seasonings to fried foods, poor cleaning practices which may leave soaps or detergents in the fryer or poor maintenance practices.
Proper maintenance of your frying oil consists of following a few steps that will prolong the life of your oil. Consider incorporating the following into your maintenance routine.
- Shake ice crystals off frozen foods before putting them in the fryer
- Avoid seasoning or salting food over the fryer to keep debris down
- Filter oil using a skimmer to pull larger sediments out
- Turn off or reduce fryer temperature at slow times to keep from oil breaking down at faster rate
- Cover your fryers at the end of day
In addition to these best practices, it’s imperative to track the quality of your oil throughout the day to keep oil fresh. For best results we recommend checking the oil twice daily. Download our free monthly frying oil log to track changes in your fryer’s oil. To extend the life of your oil, consider switching to SuperSorb® products that remove contaminants from the oil down to 0.5 micron. Contact our experts for more information.
