Healthier Fried Foods

By Kimberly J. Decker, Contributing Editor

Can fried foods ever be good for you? Americas crispy, crunchy, oil-cooked favorites may never vie with steamed greens as superfoods, but if consumers insist on eating themand they willwe owe it to their health and to our bottom lines to make fried foods healthier.

The replacements

A fat is a fat when it comes to calories, but somenamely trans fatspose health risks beyond energy excess. In response to federal labeling mandates and scattered local bans, industry has made trans reduction, if not outright removal, a top priority.

Whenever a change in frying medium is contemplated, it is important to thoroughly evaluate the alternatives under consideration to establish that they deliver the required fried-food attributes, fry life and operational efficiency," says Bob Wainwright, technical director, Cargill Dressings, Sauces & Oils, Charlotte, NC.

Processors have developed oils whose fatty-acid profiles confer stability without added saturation. Joe Higgs, vice president of technical services, Ventura Foods, LLC, Brea, CA, says that his company worked with seed suppliers to identify soybean traits that would yield oils with both trans-free healthfulness and functionality. That meant soybeans that had either high oleic content, low linolenic content, or low saturated content," he says.

If you look at soybean oil today," Higgs explains, it runs roughly about 14% naturally saturated fat. Through selective breeding, you can reduce that to 6% or 7%, and you can increase the monounsaturated oleic fat up to near 70%." Not only does that improve the oils fatty-acid profile nutritionally, but by tilting the fatty-acid ratio toward the more-stable monounsaturate oleic acid, it automatically lowers the proportion of polyunsaturatesand its the polyunsaturates, he says, which are the fatty acids that you have to be concerned about for oxidative stability."

Processors have increased the oleic content of soybean and canola oils to as much as 70% to 80%, says Bill McCullough, director of marketing, Bunge Oils, St. Louis. Meanwhile, the content of linoleic acid, an 18-carbon polyunsaturate, runs, he says, in the teens." But for real stability, the reduction target is linolenic. At around 3% or below," he says, it gives you the stability you need to avoid partial hydrogenation while still maintaining acceptable fried-food quality."

So, repeat after me: maximize the monounsaturates. Theyre really the ultimate benefit," says McCullough. Theyre driving both stability and health versus the polyunsaturates, which are good for health, but more unstable."

Susan Knowlton, senior research manager, Pioneer, a DuPont business, Wilmington, DE, says that food companies, restaurants and quick-service operators are looking for a soy solution with that flavor impact that American consumers prefer." She offers her companys Plenish high-oleic soybean as an example. At more than 75% oleic content and 10% or less polyunsaturated, she notes that its fatty-acid profile renders oil made from the soybeans very stable and dramatically different from a performance standpoint than traditional soybean oils. But industry will have to wait to convert: Made using biotechnology, commercial release is anticipated in 2012 (although quantities are currently available for testing).

Knowlton points out that this soybeans oil trans-free, and its saturated-fat content is approximately 20% lower than commodity soybean oils, as well.

That underscores a concern thats attended the rush to remove trans fats: Will we replace them with alternatives that are just as unhealthful? Its an instant follow-up question whenever theres a big movement in the food supply or ingredients," says McCullough. Were confident that not only did we remove the trans with these naturally stable products like high-oleic soybean oil and high-oleic canola oil, but theyre low in saturates."

Others in industry agree. Typically, the oils used today are lower in saturated fat or equivalent to the saturated-fat content of the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil they replaced," says Tom Tiffany, senior technical sales manager, ADM Oils and Fats, Decatur, IL. The industry is doing a good job of keeping the saturated-fatty-acid content in control."

Wainwright notes that his companys canola oil is uniquely suited to frying applications," as it has undergone trait enhancements that preserve canolas naturally low levels of saturates.

Barriers to entry

We need to not only improve the frying medium, but keep less of it from entering the food itself, where it adds more calories and imperils eating quality. Thats where reducing oil pickup comes in.

Analytically, we monitor fat pickup via oil extraction, comparing substrate mass or oil volume before and after frying, conducting near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, or simple pressing.

While these methods are helpful quantitatively, you dont need a spectrometer to tell you your product is absorbing too much oil. Excessive accumulation of oil on transfer equipment, an increase in oil usage, and changes in physical and sensory attributes are also signs of increased oil pickup," Tiffany says.

Its those last two variables that are the telltale signs in regular frying operations. That soggy fry that doesnt stand up, that piece of breaded eggplant that gives you a mouthful of grease when you bite into it"theyre what Paul Fiorentino, vice president of culinary and operator support services, Ventura Foods, watches out for.

Beyond watching out, how do you keep excess oil absorption from happening in the first place? Wainwright admits its a tall order. Oil absorption during frying," he says, is a function of frying temperature, time and oil quality; the size and shape of the foodthat is, the surface area; product composition with respect to moisture, fat and protein; product structure with respect to porosity; and pretreatments like blanching or drying." Manufacturers and operators tackle these factors by following what they call best frying practices."

When you fry properly, Fiorentino says, moisture release from the food creates a steam seal, which repels the oil, so it is not excessively greasy. The vapor release from the food keeps the oil from penetrating deep, but creates a crisp surface and seals in the juices. Fry at too low a temperature, and you dont create these optimal conditions, or you create them so slowly that the product just soaks up that oil and becomes greasy."

What constitutes an optimum" frying temperature depends on the product mix, but most point to 350°F as the minimum. It really depends on a number of factors," says Christopher Koetke, MBA, CEC, CCE, dean, School of Culinary Arts, Kendall College, Chicago. For instance, you do a french fry at 375°F. But if youre frying a big croquette, you may have 350°F oil. You may require a longer time to get the heat to penetrate all the way to the center versus with a shoestring potato. A lot of that is experimentation."

Frequent fryers stress the importance of maintaining temperature stability, too. The current generation of frying equipment is much better at holding its temperature by simple virtue of technology, but manufacturers and operators can foil even the best intentions by crowding the fryer or not giving it time to return to the ideal temperature between batches. Leaving product in the oil too long is another no-no, as it allows more time for oil to absorb into the product. And, adds Higgs, as the water in the food is migrating to the surface and being driven off, if you continue to fry, those channels that have been evacuated by the water and steam vapor are just going to absorb the oil."

So, Fiorentino says, when working with manufactured product, youre best following package instructions, even if they contradict best practices. Most manufactured items are designed to be fried frozen. Typically, you do not want to slack them out," he says. While this lowers oil temperature, its still the best practice, because sensitive fryer thermostats return oil to the proper temperature more rapidly, and letting product slack introduces moisture that hastens oil breakdown and creates blow-off of batter and breading.

You really want to keep those particulates out of the oil as much as you can," Koetke says. If you have good, clean oil thats hot, you will absorb less of it."

Thats a statement that lipid science supports. When products are cooked in fresh oil, the oil behaves primarily as a heat-transfer agent and absorption is minimal," says Wainwright. As the oil breaks down, numerous chemical and physical property changes occur, many of which mean more oil is absorbed by the fried food. Hence, proper fryer-management practices designed to maintain the quality of the frying medium will ensure that excessive oil pickup does not occur."

Koetke also invokes some old rules of thumb: Dont salt over the oil. Strain the oil frequently. Dont keep the oil hotter than it needs to be when youre not using it." Salt degrades oil and causes a chemical reaction that creates an off flavor reminiscent of soap. Also, high temperatures not only accelerate oil breakdown, but they waste energy, too.

Fiorentino advises keeping an eye on food quality. Look at the biggest-selling fried item on your menu and determine when that item is not at the quality you want it to be." Then use the observed color at that point, or the oils, as a signal to run a filtration. Get yourself on a routine," he stresses, at least daily." And the more blow-off, the more frequent the filtration.

Consider the substrate

As Wainwright noted, surface area, composition and physical characteristics like porosity can all influence oil pickup. On the vegetable front, eggplant and mushrooms are notorious sponges" in the fryer.

Meanwhile, doughnutsporous and starchytake in up to 25% oil when theyre fried, even more," Fiorentino says. Studies show that adding 2% to 4% soy flour to cake doughnut formulations helps reduce oil pickup, perhaps by setting up a barrier of denatured proteins at the doughnuts surface.

Animal proteins fry differently than starches or vegetables, Higgs adds. During the process of frying chicken, for example, the chicken is frying in its own fat more than in the shortening in the fryer. And when youre frying animal proteins," he continues, depending on the percentage of fat in them, you start picking up characteristics of the animal fat in your vegetable shortening." This transfer flows in the opposite direction, too. High-volume manufacturers often use soybean salad oil to par-fry product, because frequent oil changes make stabilized shortenings unnecessary. But, when users finish-fry those par-fried foods onsite, some of the less-stable salad oil absorbed in the batter or breading mingles with the heavy-duty fry shortenings, compromising the latters stability.

This is a case where a batter or breadingby holding onto less-stable oilacts against stability and subsequent product quality. But sometimes, a batter can be a first line of defense. The more you have issues of oil pickup," Koetke says, the more substantial you want to make the breading so that it really protects." For eggplant, he says, I would seriously consider doing the old-fashioned flour, egg and breadcrumb coating, because that makes a very solid barrier to the fat." But a study published in the Dec. 2010 issue of Food Hydrocolloids hints that maybe a new-fashioned" batter would work even better: Research showed that cellulose-derived hydrocolloids like hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) decreased the oil content in deep-fried crusts.

In any case, efforts to improve the nutritional quality of fried foods wont end. Where the future really lies is around enhanced or fortified oils," McCullough says. Weve seen in many parts of the globe that adding ingredients like omega-3 DHA has spurred interest from consumers." Such additions are not so much here in the States yet, but we see that as a potential market move for North America," he says.

McCullough points to a 2009 survey his company conducted with Technomic that found broad consumer acceptance of healthful aspects of fried foods. Theres certainly a halo effect around the fact that frying oils and fried foods are now prepared as trans-fat-free," he says. Consumers and restaurant patrons feel more comfortable consuming the products."

But they still might want to load up on the steamed greens. Or log a few more miles on the treadmill.

Kimberly J. Decker, a California-based technical writer, has a B.S. in consumer food science with a minor in English from the University of California, Davis. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she enjoys eating and writing about food. You can reach her at [email protected].

Healthy Performance

How has the new generation of trans-free oils performed? Impressively enough to enable a marked flight from partial hydrogenation. We know from both our own and industry numbers that hydrogenated oil use has declined from between 50% to 70% in the last five years, depending on where you look," says Bill McCullough, director of marketing, Bunge Oils, St. Louis.

And McCullough has found the trans-free alternatives are superior to standard unhydrogenated oil in fry life. Theyre frying at two and three times longer than conventional refined, bleached and deodorizedRBDsoybean oils," he says. Where traditional soybean oil mightve lasted two or three days in a fryer, these products can last 7 to 12 or beyond, on average."