The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday distributed acid value test strips to fast-food chains to help them monitor the quality of the oil they use to fry food.
The DOH said acid value is an indicator of whether the composition of the oil has changed because of repeated use. The acid value measures how many milligrams of potassium hydroxide (KOH) it takes to neutralize the fatty acids found in one gram of oil.
ACID VALUE
Hsu Ching-hsin (許景鑫), a senior technical specialist at the DOH’s Department of Food Safety, said that virgin oil should have an acid value approaching zero, but that the figure rises with repeated use as the oil rancidifies and fatty acids are created.
The acid value test strips would cost fast-food chains about NT$18 each, the DOH said.
Local health authorities will now list the edible oil used in fast-food chains as one of the priorities when they conduct spot checks on food safety, Hsu said.
SPOT CHECK
The move comes after spot checks carried out by the Taipei County Government on Sunday found that some big-name fast-food outlets did not change their frying oil on a daily basis, prompting worries that continued use of the oil would release carcinogenic substances and pose a health hazard to consumers.
Representatives from fast-food restaurants such as McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Napoli Pizza who attended yesterday’s briefing on the DOH’s latest regulations said they would follow the guidelines recommended by the department.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JIMMY CHUANG
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