The cooking oil has been frequently used. Longer use is bad for the quality of the product and can lead to complaints from the customer. The most important part of the testo 270 cooking oil tester is Testo’s new capacitive oil sensor. Using this sensor, measurements are carried out directly in the hot cooking oil which means that control measurements can be quickly carried out while work in the kitchen is in progress. Several deep-fat fryers can be tested back-to-back without the sensor having to cool down. Maximum use of the cooking oil is made possible. The oil is only changed if the limit value is reached.

How cooking oil testing works

Testo’s 270 allows you to determine within seconds whether cooking oil needs changing. To do so, it measures the ‘Total Polar Material’ (TPM) content in the oil, which is a sure indicator of its quality. It will then provide you with a reading and based on the colour of the screen display you will know the current state of the oil.

Using the 270 couldn’t be simpler, just insert the tip into the oil and you will get a reading. Depending on the screen colour you will know if the oil needs changing or not. Green means the oil is perfectly fine, amber is when it’s on the brink, and red means the oil needs changing immediately.

• Green =              TPM content is good.
• Amber =              TPM value will need changing soon.
• Red =                  TPM value has exceeded safe amount.

With the ‘traffic light’ system it couldn’t be easier to determine whether oil needs changing

The Dangers of using old, used cooking oil

There are a number of risks associated with a company using cooking oil that is past its best. As the oil begins to get older, the fried food becomes darker and could feature spotty surfaces. In addition, the fried shell is less crisp and the food absorbs much more oil than usual. This can leave a bitter, unpleasant taste and is also unhealthy because of a higher content of saturated fats.

Using dirty oil can be affect the quality of the food and even more importantly is dangerous.

As the cooking oil continues to deteriorate the fried product will start to become hard, oily and the food inside might not even cook properly. This can then cause problems from a food safety point of view. It can also produce a burnt flavour and give off a pungent smell.

Essentially, the more times cooking oil is used and the longer it’s left, the poorer the quality it will be and the lower the standard of the fried product.