LIPID EXCHANGE DURING FRYING OF FROZEN PR EFRIED POTATOES IN HIGH OLEIC SUNFLOWER OIL

Lipid exchange during frying of frozen prefried potatoes in high oleic sunflower oil was studied. After 15 frying operations, changes in the major food components, as well as in the fatty acid and triglyceride composition of the lipid fraction of both the food and of the frying o il, were evaluated. From analyses of the fatty acid composition, it is possible to determine the exact contribution made by both the initial food fat and of the frying oil to the lipids in the fried potatoes. R esults indicate that the fat composition of fried food depends fundame ntally on that of the oil used to fry, more than 90% of the fat conten t of the food being contributed by the oil. In addition, quantificatio n of the triglyceride species has allowed determination of the gradual changes occurring in the fat composition of the fried food and estima tion of the triglycerides that undergo significant changes in some of their acyl groups.