Frying Oil Test Strips

These Frying Oil Quality Test Strips will help you keep the quality of your fried food high, as well as helping save money by preventing the premature disposal of cooking oil.

The test strips work equally well in animal, vegetable and A/V blend frying oil (shortening). They are sold in storage bottles of 100 Oil Quality Test Strips which includes an easy to read colour chart.

To test your fryer oil, hold the test strip by the long white end, and dip the test strip into the oil (max oil temperature 40 °C) so all of the coloured band is submerged. Hold the test strip in the oil for 2 seconds, then remove it and wait 2 minutes, next, compare the strip to the colour chart.

It is recommended that the testing of the frying oil is carried out at the start of each shift/working day before the user starts to apply heat to the oil.

To ensure accuracy, the test strips should not be stored in humid conditions or in an area where they may be exposed to water or oil before use.

ETI test strips are designed to measure FFA (Free Fatty Acids) which is a carboxylic acid with a long chain. The more free fatty acids there are in oil, the higher the Acid Value (AV). Acid Value is the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide (KOH) necessary to neutralise the fatty acids in 1 gram of oil sample. By submerging the reagent end of the test strip for 2 seconds, oil is absorbed and the fatty acids within the oil react with Potassium Hydroxide in the reagent.

After 2 minutes the colour developing chemical compound in the reagent changes dependant on the mg/KOH/g required to neutralise the FFA within the oil. This colour can then be matched with the colour chart on the rear of the bottle. 0-0.5 being IDEAL, 1.5-2.5 being CAUTION and 3.0-5.0 being bad.

Free Fatty Acids are not suitable for identifying the age of the fat, just whether they are present in the oil or not.