The Challenge It’s not easy being an operator today. Everyone, it seems, is telling you how to cook. With government agencies mandating removal of trans fat from menus and the Food and Drug Administration expected to deliver recommendations for reducing acrylamide in fried foods next year, delivering maximum taste in foods that are as healthful as possible is a major challenge. Consumers have made it clear that they are not willing to compromise taste for healthfulness. If something doesn’t taste good, they won’t eat it. Witness the multitude of healthy menus items that have been deleted from menus over time because they weren’t ordered.

Customer Demand
That’s why fried foods are more popular than ever with patrons – they consistently deliver on flavor. Data from Mintel, a global research company, shows that chicken wings and fingers, onion rings, and mozzarella sticks are among the top ten appetizers on chain menus. Clearly, frying is one of the most popular cooking methods with patrons and one that provides unique challenges.

The Solution
The good news is that by following a simple set of principles, called The 5 Factors for Fit Frying, you can be assured your frying methods address current health issues such as trans fat, in addition to optimizing taste, and maximizing oil life. The 5 Factors for Fit Frying program was developed by Frymaster, LLC, a Manitowoc Foodservice company, and offers best practice guidelines for anyone serving fried foods. It consists of five steps you can take to make sure the fried foods you prepare are flavorful and healthful.

5 Factors for Fit Frying
Factor 1: Choose The Right Fryer
Factor 2: Select The Right Oil
Factor 3: Select The Right Food
Factor 4: Follow The Right Cooking Process
Factor 5: Establish The Right Maintenance

Frymaster’s white paper entitled The Facts on Fit Frying: Impact and Benefits for Foodservice Operators provides an executive summary of The 5 Factors for Fit Frying program.