QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF COOKING OILS USED BY STREET FOOD VENDORS IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN
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Date
2021-07-08
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Publisher
UMT.Lahore
Abstract
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.