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.