Quality criteria of industrial frying oils and fats

Fried food is very popular all around the world and comprises a wide variety of different products. Each of them demands special attention to make them a success. Factors such as the melting point and the solid fat content may contribute to the palatability and appearance of fried food. Major characteristics of products, processing and quality issues are related to the fatty acid composition of shortenings. Important points to be considered for choosing a suitable oil for a specific product are highlighted and a simple statistical method of value analysis is proposed to put the choice of a shortening on a better basis.