4 Signs Your Restaurant Oil Needs Changing

November 21, 2023

Cooking oil might well be good to use several times throughout the day, especially if you’re making several dishes that are the same. But cooking oil still needs to be swapped out for a fresh supply every so often. This is because old, overused cooking oil can make food smell and taste rancid, which isn’t something you want to be serving up to your customers. If you’re unsure about when to change your cooking oil, then here are four signs to look out for.

Why does restaurant cooking oil need to be of a good quality?

There are multiple reasons as to why cooking oil needs to be a good standard, the first of which is that it makes sure that the food tastes fresh and that full flavour can be realised and experienced. As soon as it’s used for cooking, the oil starts to degrade and break down. While this is sufficient enough for one or two cooks, you will eventually start to smell and taste the byproducts that are left behind as a result of that breakdown of molecular compounds. This is why most restaurants and other eating establishments will always swap out their cooking oil for a fresh supply. Where this doesn’t need to be changed necessarily, after every single use, once a day is sufficient enough for most restaurants that are looking to keep their food smelling and tasting fresh.

4 signs you need to change your restaurant cooking oil

It can be difficult to know when it’s time to change your cooking oil if you’re reusing it, which is why we’re detailing some hints and tips below so that you know when to swap your old oil out for a clean and fresh supply. Although the signs are easy to spot, it can be difficult if you’re running a busy commercial kitchen, so here’s what to look out for:

1. It’s starting to smell rancid

You might not notice a smell when it comes to cooking oil, especially when it’s fresh. It should smell, vaguely, of its derivative. If oil has gone bad, then it will smell rancid, for lack of a better word, giving off a scent that is somewhat bitter or tart. It may also start smelling like your fryer, which also signals that it’s time to change your cooking oil. If it smells of anything other than the derivative of the oil type you have chosen, then change it to a fresh supply as soon as possible.

2. The colour has become dark

The colour of your oil will differ slightly, even when it’s fresh, but when oil becomes old, it naturally becomes darker in colour. You might also find that it looks cloudy and runs thicker than your fresh oil supplies. If your oil was golden and light in colour at the start of the cooking process and it now looks dark brown and dirty, then it’s time to change your cooking oil, even if it’s only been sitting there for a couple of days. The issue usually lies with the number of times you’ve cooked in or with it, not how long it’s been exposed to the air for.

3. It negatively affects how your food tastes

Old oil can negatively impact how your food tastes. Just like the scent that old oil gives off, food can taste bitter or tart. It will also rob the original dish of its intended flavour, overpowering any other aroma or flavour that you want to give off in the first place. Restaurants usually pride themselves on the quality of the food they’re serving, and that could all be scuppered if you’re using old oil.

4. The surface oil has become foamy

Coming back to the overall appearance of your cooking oil, aside from its colour or transparency, the surface of your cooking oil can become cloudy if it’s too old to cook with. It’s usually caused by oil degradation or even contamination, so it’s always best to change it over to a fresh cooking oil supply, something that we can do here at Cater Oils. When you come to get rid of your old cooking oil, we can collect your used cooking oil for you and give you cash or a credit note against a fresh supply.

Cater Oils is pleased to provide waste cooking oil collection services as well as cooking oil supply services when you need it most. Catering for a variety of industries and sectors, we can always be counted upon to deliver an exceptional, reliable service every single time. If you would like further information, get in touch with a member of our friendly, professional team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.