ABSTRACT
During deep fat frying a series of complex physical and chemical changes commences immediately after the immersion of high-moisture food products into hot oil (Singh, 1995; Saguy and Pinthus, 1995; Saguy et al., 1998). The chemical reactions alter the product characteristics as well as the quality of the cooking medium, i.e., the frying oil. Essentially, frying is a heat-mass transfer operation where the cooking oil/fat imparts several desirable quality attributes such as flavor, texture, appearance, and mouthfeel to the food products. These desirable changes imparted to the cooked food are a combined result of moisture loss, crust formation, protein denaturation, starch gelatinization, oil/fat uptake, and numerous microstructural
changes within the food (Blumenthal, 1991; Saguy and Pinthus, 1995; Saguy et al., 1998). However, undesirable changes are imparted to the cooking medium due to oil-water interaction and oxidation, along with changes caused by heating, cooking, the transfer of foreign materials from food to oil, and the accumulation of food residues/debris (Blumenthal, 1991; Saguy et al., 1998).
