Search

Background: Preparation of ready-to-eat food by deep frying at a high temperature causes adverse chemical changes including oil oxidation, polymerization, and hydrolysis, in addition to absorbance of large amounts of oil. The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of oil absorbed in ready-to-eat foods by measuring oxidation indices. Methods: In this descriptive study, 60 food samples including 26, 17, and 17 samples of fried potato, chicken, and mushrooms, respectively, were randomly collected from restaurants in different regions of Isfahan, Iran. Peroxide value was measured using spectrometer and acid and acidity values were determined by the method defined in national standard of Iran. Statistical analysis was performed using t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS software. Findings: Average values of peroxide, acid, and acidity of extracted oils were 6.79 ± 1.70 meq/kg, 4.05 ± 0.88 mg KOH/g, and 2.04 ± 0.33%, respectively. Overall, 66.66% and 100% of samples had peroxide and acidity values higher than the standard limit. Fried chickens had the highest amount of acid value (P < 0.050). The amount of peroxide in fried potatoes was higher than other samples. Conclusion: The measured oxidative values in fried potatoes, chicken, and mushrooms compared to other studies were less; however; they were more than the range defined in the national standard of Iran. It seems that continuous monitoring and implementation of health guidelines for the quality of the studied products is necessary by health authorities.