Nutrition, Sensory Evaluation, and Performance Analysis of Trans fat-Free, Low Alpha-Linolenic Acid Frying Oils

Abstract

The FDA now requires the labeling of trans fats, a decision that has encouraged foodservice operators to eliminate trans fats from foods and reformulate deep-fat frying oils in order to make them trans fat-free. This study evaluated performance, sensory, and nutrition characteristics of trans fat-free oils used to cook French fries during a 10-day controlled degradation session. Nutritional analyses and fatty acid profiles were conducted on the oils before degradation, and a sensory evaluation of fries cooked in different oils was conducted to determine liking of the fries. Results indicated a preference for French fries fried in canola oils, while the 0.05% low alpha-linolenic (ALA) soybean oil had the highest stability and lowest oil usage. All the low ALA oils in the study provided a healthy, inexpensive, and stable option for foodservice operators to consider when choosing trans fat-free oils; therefore, foodservice operators must determine which is more important—stability, usage, nutrition, or taste preference—when selecting the right oil for their operation.

KEYWORDS:

• trans fats
• deep fat frying
• sensory evaluation
• oil stability
• foodservice

This study was funded by Cargill™, Inc.; however, the analysis and final results were in no way influenced by representatives from the company. A special thanks to Connie Tobin and Dan Lampert for their assistance and support in the study. The research team thanks Compusense (Guelph, Ontario, Canada) for the use of their sensory software.

Notes

Boskou, D., Elmadfa, I. (1991). Frying of food: Oxidation, nutrient and non-nutrient antioxidants, biologically active compounds and high temperatures. Lancaster, PA: Technomic. Dausch, J. G. (2002). Trans-fatty acids: A regulatory update. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102(1), 18.