Assessment of the Quality of Used Frying Oils in Selected Hotels and Restaurants in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana

During the frying process, fats and oils undergo chemical changes like oxidation, polymerization, and hydrolysis, altering their physical and chemical properties.These reactions generate numerous by-products, including free fatty acids, alcohols, cyclic compounds, dimers, and polymers.Consequently, understanding the physical and chemical transformations occurring during deep frying is crucial for assessing the quality of fried foods.This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of oils used continuously for frying chicken in various catering establishments.Oil samples were collected from 45 hotels and restaurants in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis to determine their acid values, peroxide values, and free fatty acid (FFA) levels.The results revealed that 4-star hotels had the lowest rancidity values, while 2-star hotels exhibited the highest.Specifically, the peroxide values of oils from 2-star hotels ranged from 9.09 to 9.72 meq/kg, acid values ranged from 1.45 to 2.79 mg KOH/g, and FFA values varied between 0.54 and 1.4.The study concludes that 2-star hotels in Sekondi-Takoradi experience a higher rate of rancidity in their frying oils compared to other hotels and restaurants in the area.