HOSoy Fry Evaluation
High oleic soybean oil was a top performer during 24-day functionality and sensory study testing french fries prepared in high oleic soybean, high oleic sunflower, mid oleic sunflower, conventional soybean, and 75% and 65% oleic canola oils.
High Oleic Soybean Oil Fry Evaluation
High oleic soybean oil’s overall performance was consistent with high oleic sunflower oil and outperformed other high-stability options, such as 75% oleic canola oil.
The oils were tested for Total Polar Material (TPM), which measures polymer formation and is an indicator of fry life. The TPM percentage rises as the oil is used; therefore, the lower the TPM rise, the better. The TPM scores were compared to the European Discard Point (24% TPM), which is commonly used to determine the best time to change the oil in a fryer. High oleic soybean oil presented one of the lowest levels of TPM percentages and polymerization in the test. After 24 days of frying, high oleic soybean oil left less than 5% polymerization on the equipment.
The reduced buildup of polymers on foodservice equipment means less maintenance, which leads to operation cost savings.
Sensory Evaluation
In an extension of the fry study, U.S. Soy partnered with Product Dynamics to conduct a qualitative sensory study comparing french fries prepared in high-stability oils, conditioned to six and 15 days. More than 100 participants evaluated the fries on various sensory attributes, such as flavor, aroma, texture and appearance.
High oleic soybean oil was a top performer on overall likeability in a taste test.
High oleic soybean oil performed consistently with the other high-stability options. The majority of consumers indicated a strong liking for french fries prepared in high oleic soybean oil conditioned to 15 days. The neutral flavor of high oleic soybean oil allows consumers to enjoy foods’ natural flavors and meets the flavor needs of the food industry.
Soybean oil tends to produce a flavor in food products that U.S. consumers have become accustomed to and find favorable.
High-Temperature Fry Study
A separate deep frying study evaluated the impact of higher frying temperatures when using high-stability oils. The study followed the protocol of the previous high oleic oil frying evaluation in terms of food types, frying times and analytical measurements, only altering the frying oil temperature. French fries, hush puppies, fish sticks and chicken nuggets were fried at 350°F and 375°F, and performance was tracked using various analytical methods and a trained sensory panel.
Results indicated that high oleic soybean oil can withstand higher frying temperatures without damaging the oil.