World French Fry Day: how many times should oil be reused for frying and how to dispose of it?

Each 20th of August is celebrated World French Fry Day in honor of one of the most classic and popular foods in the world. It is believed that the French fries have their origins in Belgium either Francebecoming a center plate in homes, bars and restaurants where diners enjoy them as main dish or side of other foods. For his versatilitythis food can be cut into different Shapes and sizesalthough the most traditional is in “band-aids” that later I know fry in vegetable oil.

7 out of 10 Argentines choose fried potatoes as a side dishbut how can we achieve healthy consumption of this popular food: He frying oilboth at home and in restaurants, you can be reused? how often? The reuse of oil for frying depends on several factors, but first it is necessary to understand what happens during the process of frying.

He agricultural engineer, Diego Wassnerwhich was part of the latest research on the management of vegetable oil used in the country developed together with the company DH-SHindicated that during the frying many occur chemical changes in the oilwhich involve the breaking of molecules (hydrolysis), the oxidation and the formation of new compounds from the interaction of hot oil with food, water and degraded oil molecules.

“In the process of frying they form undesirable compounds and in some cases, harmful to healthwhich are indicators of the level of deterioration that presents a oil and that can be measured to determine if a oil must be discarded. The problem in practical terms is that many of these determinations can be made in laboratoryso they are not practical in decision-making in the homes“, held Wasner and added that “in Europe they developed rapid tests that, in a few minutes and without the need for equipment, determine the level of deterioration of the same”.

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In turn, the agricultural engineer considered that the type of oil affects the speed with which it deteriorates and this is especially related to the fatty acids present in the content. Those oils who own more saturated type fatty acidshow can they be animal fats or the Palm oilpresent longer duration than those who own higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as sunflower either canola.

Wasner emphasized that when assessing whether a oil this ready to be reused in the kitchen or not, certain parameters must be respected such as the free aciditythe percentage of polar and moisture compounds just like him smellflavor and color. “Regarding the type of foodinfluences its content of waterthat the smaller it is, the greater the oil life and also the food cooking temperaturesince there are differences between vegetables and meat for example, requiring the latter of higher temperatures that accelerate the formation of polar compounds”, he concluded.

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Recycle your Oil

What to do when discarding frying oil? Just a liter of used oil kitchen can to pollute until thousand liters of water and make the land fertile. So it depends on a correct management by the consumer or generator, that residue I can have one new life and avoid the natural resource pollution.

“Recycle your Oil” is the campaign of awareness run by the company DH-SH, a native of the city of Captain Bermudez in the province of Santa Fewith the objective of separate and dispose responsibly the used cooking oil for your conversion into second generation biofuel. The proposal reaches 15 provinces of the country and consists of the collection of used vegetable oil to large generators (restaurants, hotels, delicatessens and deliveries), the installation of green dots for small generators -those who fry at home- and the development of a environmental education program Virtually and free for schools.

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DH-SH

Antonella Druettaresponsible for the Environment of DH-SH, assured: “Since 2017 we have worked to be part of the oil management solution that is discarded after being used in fries. we give you a new life to a residue that becomes raw material for another process such as second generation biofuel productiona alternative and friendlier fuel than the fossil.

Responsible consumption

According to research carried out during 2021-2022 by the Faculty of Agronomy of the UBA and the company DH-SH, More than half of the Argentines who cook fried foods do not separate their waste. The study also showed that they are discarded after a year more than 100 million liters of used vegetable oil of which more than 90% belong to the discard of small generators.

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DH-SH

How to do to be part of the solution? Once you use the frying oilleave cool and pour it into a clean, dry plastic container with a lid. Repeat the process until the bottle is full and bring it closer to the nearest green point to complete the process.

In the case of big generatorsDH-SH provides drums and the Logistics so that businesses can separate and dispose properlyobtaining a certificate of final disposition at each withdrawal.

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DH-SH

“At Freda Bar we use a lot of cooking oil for fried foods such as French fries, milanesas, onion rings and cheese sticks. What we generate, the company withdraws and recycle; in this way we contribute to take care of the ecosystem and we raise awareness about pollution that we can avoid“, he pointed Gaston Buffaowner of the bar located in the Santa Fe city of Fray Luis Beltran.

For the owners of the bar “La Bodeguita”, in rosary beadsstart managing your used vegetable oil meant the reuse of a residue that was previously considered “trash” and to which today they give a new destination. “Since we can’t use it again, we managed to make it re-enter the market as a new product and we are part of one circular economy”, expressed Paolo Macone of the managers of the business.

For its part, from the delicatessen “La Galería”, located in the city of Ramallo in Buenos Aires, Juan Ignacio Garciahighlighted: “We managed to make it once again reusable, in addition to hygiene, because we know that they take it in well-sealed containers and it is moved with great care. It is not only good for importance of recycling oilbut because it allows us work more comfortablewe keep the oil in bottles and we know that later they will come to remove it ”, he concluded.