Troubleshooting
Problems and their possible causes
Greasy food
Problem: The food is limp with greasy taste, dripping oil.
Causes:
- The oil temperature is too low (check thermostat)
- Overloaded basket
- Allowing food to remain in the fryer or over the fryer after it is ready
- Failure to allow the food to drip off properly
- The oil is broken down and foaming
- The fryer temperature recovery is too slow
- The optimal oil performance has expired (change the oil)
Uncooked or raw food
Problem: The exterior of the food looks done, while the interior is partially raw.
Causes:
- Temperature of oil is too high (check thermostat)
- The size of food pieces is too large
- The frying time is too short
- The centre of the food was frozen, while the outside portion thawed prior to frying
- The oil is broken down and foaming
- The fryer temperature recovery is too slow
Unpleasant flavours in foods
Problem: The foods have an unpleasant taste
Causes:
- Poor filtration practices that allow crumb-building
- Drip-back from the exhaust system
- Poor oil quality
- Excessive oil absorption
- The optimal oil performance has expired
- Low frying volume
The oil foams excessively
Problem: A layer of fine yellow bubbles is formed on the oil surface
Causes:
- The oil temperature is too high (check thermostat)
- Failure to reduce heat in slack periods
- Hot spots in the heating system
- Poor oil performance due to inferior quality or abuse through usage
- Soap and/or gum formation not removed entirely during the cleaning operation
- Excessive filtration through filter aid
- Low frying volume
Unpleasant odour or flavour of the oil
Problem: The fryer odour is unappealing and the oil has an off-flavour
Causes:
- Poor filtration practices that allow crumbs to build-up
- Drip-back from the exhaust system
- The oil has broken down due to inferior quality or abuse through usage
- Poor quality of food being fried
Foods do not brown properly
Problem: The food is not cooked or browned in the usual amount of time.
Causes:
- The oil temperature is too low (check thermostat)
- Overloading the fry basket
- The fryer temperature recovery is too slow
- Excessive foam builds up as oil is breaking down
- Short frying time
Excessively dark oil
Problem: The oil takes on “tar-like” appearance
Causes:
- Overheating the oil (check thermostat)
- Poor filtration practices that allow crumbs to build up
- The oil is breaking down due to inferior quality or abuse through usage
- Hot spots in the heating system (uneven temperature in the fryer)
- Soaps from cleaning operation entering the oil system
- Low frying volume
Smoking oil
Problem: Smoke visibly coming off oil
Causes:
- The oil temperature is too high (check thermostat)
- Poor filtration practices that allow crumbs to build up.
- The oil is breaking down due to inferior quality or abuse through usage
- Hot spots in the heating system
- Soaps from the cleaning operation entered the oil system
- Drip-back from the exhaust system
- The oil fry life has expired
- Low frying volume