Restaurant Equipment

restaurant equipment and restaurant supplies

Archive for category Food Preparation

Trans fat and how it drives the restaurant industry

Feb 5

Posted by True-Restaurant-Equipment in Food Preparation, Restaurant Equipment, Restaurant Management, Restaurant Marketing | No Comments

With trans fat being such a huge consumer concern in the last decade, and continuing to grow, the prepackaged food industry began making voluntary moves to remove or reduce the amount of trans fats in their products. Granted this voluntary move really picked up steam once the Government mandated that trans fats needed to be documented on nutritional labeling, but the fact still remains that great effort has made by the prepackaged industry to get on board the trans fat bandwagon.

The focus of trans fat has now shifted to the food service industry, where it is estimated by some source that up to 38% of our fat intake comes from. The use of partially hydrogenated frying oil and ingredients containing trans fat are both large contributors to the fat content of a menu item. Since the food service industry does not have to offer nutritional labeling and the availability of that information is limited, it is often difficult for patrons to make informed choices regarding the consumption of trans fat while eating out.

In response to this growing concern several U.S. cities have begun the move toward mandating the removal of trans fats in restaurants. The approach so far as been to do this in stages, normally starting off with guidelines stating that all shortening, margarine and oils that are used in cooking contain less than half a milligram of trans fat per serving. Once the first stage is in place the second phase normally involves expanding the half a milligram requirement to other items including baked goods.

This push towards the removal of trans fats is having a pull marketing direction on the distributors as demand for trans fat free cooking oils and ingredients sky rockets. There is also a push marketing effort taking place as the restaurants who have taken the effort to reduce or remove trans fats from their menus are increasing the amount of materials available to their patrons explaining the benefits of being a trans fat free establishment.

Tags: , , , , , ,

Proper deep fryer techniques

Feb 2

Posted by True-Restaurant-Equipment in Deep Fryer, Food Preparation, Fry Oil, Restaurant Equipment, fryer guidelines | Comments off

As we’ve already touched on, fry oil will change it’s composition as it interacts with food placed in it, the heat from the heating elements, and the oxygen in the air. As a result of this chemical interaction with these elements by-products are created in the oil which changes the overall make-up of the oils characteristics. In addition, food particles, water, and the various starches in the batter start to enter the oil as contaminants and contribute to the breakdown of the oil’s quality.

There are five easy areas to watch out for that can greatly increase the quality and longevity of deep fryer oil. It is important to try and limit the amount of exposure the oil gets to crumbs, air, salt, water, and heat. All of this can be accomplished by using the following good frying practices:

1) Once the baskets are loaded shake them out before moving them into the frying area. This will knock off any of the loose crumbs from the product allowing them to be disposed of easily instead of falling off into the fryer oil.

2) Filter the oil in your deep fryers on a regular basis. Depending on the amount of use your deep fryer sees, this could be nightly or bi-weekly. Filtering frequently will remove the solid particles that have fallen off into the oil during regular operations as well as un-dissolved salts.

3) If the fry oil becomes contaminated by an unexpected substance you should follow the safe handling procedure and dispose of the oil immediately and thoroughly clean the deep fryer before using it again.

4) Read the cleaning instructions of your deep fryer, follow cleaning and oil replacement guidelines set forth by the manufacturer. Proper care and maintenance of your fryer will help ensure a long product life and help avoid any fryer defects that could cut down on the life span of your fry oil or cause inconsistencies in your fried food.

5) Keep your fry oil at it’s optimal temperature at all times. Doing so will help avoid situations where food is cooked at too high of a temperature or much faster than expected, thus allowing for a consistent quality to your fried food. Avoiding fluctuations in temperature will also help increase the life span of your cooking oil. It is unavoidable that cooking oil will fluctuate in temperature while actually cooking but keeping those fluctuations to a minimum will be beneficial. Most oils are recommended for a 330°F to 350°F operating temperature at the start of a cooking cycle with a drop to 330°F for a brief period at the start and then returning to between 330°F to 350°F. However, one should always consult with the manufacture of their cooking oil for specific usage guidelines as many of the trans fat free oils may require different operation temperatures

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Pay attention when purchasing fried food from your vendors

Feb 1

Posted by True-Restaurant-Equipment in Deep Fryer, Food Preparation, Fry Oil | Comments off

So we’ve looked at the different types of fryers and the different types of oils, now it is time for the third factor in finding the right deep-fryer for your restaurant and that is selecting the right type of fried food. When deep frying foods it isn’t just the type of oil that effects how much fat is in the fried food but the content of the food itself plays a large roll in determining house it should be friend for the best and healthiest results. For example, if the food you are deep-frying has been par-fried, as is the case with many pre-prepared frozen foods, the oil that was used will not only effect the food that was fried but the oil in your fryer as well. Lets say that a partially hydrogenated oil was used to par-fry chicken before it reached your restaurant. This pervious oil will leach into your fryers oil as you cook it for serving. So if you are using a trans fat free oil the levels of trans fats will increase over time due to the leaching effect of the previously used oil and will eventually not meet the .5mg or less requirement to be called trans-fat free when served. It holds true for other types of oil as well as there is a leaching effect of the previously used oil into the current oil which can change the taste of your menu as the oil gets longer its life cycle. This leaching can drastically shorten the oils life span as the altered taste of menu items will prompt a changing of oil much earlier in the life cycle than actually needed, thus driving up your oil consumption and costs.

When purchasing foods, it is should be noted or inquired as to the type of oil that was used in the preparing process. Today’s vendors offer trans fat-free foods and have been working on increasing efficiency of their methods for years to help keep cost down. By paying attention to the fry process used in preparation before it gets to your restaurant, frying in healthy oils in your own deep fryer, and by following good frying practices you will not only provide a consistent quality and taste of food to your customers but also take steps to ensure that you get the maximum oil life you can out of your own fryers.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

If the Glove Doesn’t Fit…

Jan 30

Posted by True-Restaurant-Equipment in Food Preparation, Food Safety, restaurant supply | Comments off

Restaurant supplies make the job of keeping things clean much easier. Five Rules for Wearing Gloves

  1. Employees should wash their hands prior to putting on gloves and when putting on a fresh pair
  2. Replace gloves when they become soiled, torn, or once every hour whichever comes first
  3. The glove should fit properly
  4. Changing tasks means changing gloves. Cross contamination can travel from one area to the next unless gloves are change when switching between raw, ready to eat, and handling money
  5. If an employee coughs, sneezes, or touches their hair or face gloves should be changed

Gloves are not supposed to be a replacement for tongs, serving spoons or forks. Owners should not be lured into a false sense of security just because their employees are wearing gloves. The benefit of gloves is only realized when they are properly being used and replaced as needed.

Tags: , ,

Fried food still remains king and gets healthier

Jan 28

Posted by True-Restaurant-Equipment in Deep Fryer, Food Preparation, Fry Oil, Restaurant Equipment, Restaurant Marketing | Comments off

Despite the large push by consumers, health food watchdogs and Government agencies various surveys report that frying is still the most popular method of food preparation on the menus of restaurants today. With the food service industry making an effort to move to healthy oils and communicate their benefits, patrons are starting to accept the idea that fried foods can still be part of a good diet. As the massive media coverage of trans fats continues, restaurant owners are facing a never ending quest satisfy the customers desire for fried foods that are also healthy.

Alternative fryer oils that are coming to the forefront of the healthy movement are Omega-9 canola oil and low-linolenic soybean oil. These oils are a direct result of genetic engineering and advanced breeding technologies in their respective plant lines. The goal of these oils is to replace partially hydrogenated oils that were previously a staple in the food service industry and high in trans fats. The beauty of these oils, and others like them, is that they can be blended together to create different nutritional profiles and unique tastes.

The restaurant franchise Wendy’s as made it publicly known that they use a blend of soy and corn oil that is trans fat free to cook their french fries and chicken menu selections. With the media coverage focused on trans fat, moves like this not only give patrons the healthy choices that are looking for, but also serves as a marketing angle to attract more market share.

Tags: , , , , , , ,