Browsing by Author "MUAZ AWAN"

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    QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF COOKING OILS USED BY STREET FOOD VENDORS IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN
    (UMT.Lahore, 2021-07-08) MUAZ AWAN
    Street foods are becoming very common around the world in the past few decades. Due to its cheap price and convenience people are rushing towards them without knowing their health issues. This study aimed to investigate the qualitative and quantitative assessment of cooking oil used by street vendors in Lahore. Fifty samples were collected from different areas and the population was divided into five parts, and ten samples were collected from each area. These areas were tagged as R (Rural areas), U (Urban areas), E (Educational areas), M (Market streets), and FF (Fast food fryers). A questionnaire was used for qualitative assessment that revealed maximum vendors used vegetable ghee because of its low cost, practiced addition new oil with used one instead of the disposal of the old batch. Moreover, vendors have no knowledge regarding health issues for rancid oils. The study also quantified samples for moisture content, % free fatty acid, peroxide value Iodine value and Total polar compounds. The results of all samples ranges from 0.08 ± 0.02 to 0.12 ± 0.02% in moisture contents, 1.79 ± 0.02 to 1.82 ± 0.02 mg KOH/g for free fatty acids, 7.50 ± 1.58 to 11.60 ± 1.95 meq O2/kg for peroxide value, 18.2 ± 2.4 to 21.8 ± 3.1 total polar compounds and 77.1 ± 2.1 to 83.5 ± 2.7 for iodine value. These results were compared with the standards provided by Punjab Food Authority (PFA) Lahore, Pakistan. The results of market areas and FFs were complying the permissible limits of PFA. The study concluded that regular checking of quality parameters and hygiene of street food vendors is needed and the standards should be enforced properly by authorities. Moreover, a high level of awareness and training is needed for increasing the safety and quality of frying oils.