Investigation of edible oil quality in fast food restaurants in Erbil city

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the quality of fried oil in Erbil City. Therefore, fried oils and fats from 10 fast-food restaurants in Erbil were randomly collected. Frying process as well as fried oils was submitted into evaluation, by determining some physicochemical characteristics namely p-Ansisidne value (pAV), lodine value (IV), Peroxide value (PV), Acid value (AV) and fatty acids profile using GC MS as well as Refractive index and viscosity. Results indicated that the majority of restaurants used sunflower oil most commonly as a frying medium, potato (French fries) among the fried foods, steel utensils and gas as a heating source. In addition, frying temperatures ranged from 150 to 217°C, and they replenished oil instead of changing it at the end of the working shift or day. The highest AV was in sample one 1.3 and lowest in sample five 0.3 (mg KOH/g). Also, highest PV, IV and pAV was   9.5(mEq/kg oil), 144(g/100g oil) and 65 the lowest was 0.3 (mEq/kg oil), 51 (g/100g oil) and 9 respectively. Regarding refractive index was between 1.40 to 1.47. The data also showed that the fresh fats and oils (controls) seem to be within the Iraqi guideline specification. High AV indicated that fried oil had exceeded the standard specification. Viscosity (cP) of discorded oil noticeably increased with increasing frying time. The results of GC-MS showed that the highest fatty acid percentage of palmetic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic 49.25, 3.85, 46.44 and 61.41, respectively

Keywords

• oil quality
• physiochemical properties
• fast food restaurants
• health risks