When you're setting up a new food service business, you need to make sure that you have quality equipment and you take care of it properly. If you've purchased deep fryers, one of the things you'll need to consider is oil maintenance and care. Leaving dirty oil in your fryer can cause food debris buildup, which can render the fryer ineffective or otherwise damage it. Here are some things you should know about preserving the condition of your fryer's oil without increasing your costs significantly.

Train Your Crew Properly

Your staff must be properly trained when you buy your fryers. Make sure that you talk with your commercial kitchen equipment supplier about the type of fryers you've purchased and the best practices for taking care of them. Then, work with your staff to ensure that they understand all of the necessary steps and care requirements to protect the fryers and keep the oil clean.

Inspect the Oil Before Deciding

Don't just set up a routine schedule to replace the oil every so many days. That can lead to using dirty oil or possibly disposing of oil that's still usable, costing you more than necessary. Instead, inspect the oil's condition at the start of every shift. Consider the condition of the food that's coming out of the fryer first. Check the color, texture, and flavor of the fried foods. If anything is off, replace the oil in that particular fryer vat. Then, log the replacement so that you have a record of it.

Understand How Oil Responds to Heat

Oil's exposure to heat can change its chemistry in several ways. First, remember that oil expands when it is hot. That means that you need to be careful about how much you fill the oil vats. Overfilling can lead to spills and potential grease fires. Make sure you choose fryers that have fill lines clearly marked, that way you eliminate any risk of operator error from your staff.

In addition, you need to be sure that the fryers have readable and accurate temperature controls. That way, you can monitor the heat levels in the oil. Fryer oil will break down more rapidly when it's exposed to heat because the heat and oxygen combination causes the oil to break down. Don't leave the fryer vats on when they don't need to be. That way, you don't expose the oil to any more heat than necessary. Talk with your commercial kitchen equipment supplier about maintenance schedules, including thermostat calibration, so you can be sure of the reading accuracy.

Filter the Fryer Oil Regularly

Fryer oil will pick up a lot of particulates and debris from the breading on the foods you fry. That contamination can cause the oil to deteriorate rapidly, even with the best quality fryer. Make sure that you filter the oil every day, that way you start with clean oil before each shift. It will extend the life of the fryer oil, protect your fryer from clogging, and ensure quality flavor in the food you sell.

Don't Clean Your Fryers with Soap

When you clean the filter boxes and fryers, avoid using soap. Use hot water. Cooking oil that's contaminated with soap will deteriorate quickly, and it can lower the smoking point of the oil. It's important to keep soap products of all kinds away from your fryer. Your kitchen equipment supplier can provide you with more recommendations for keeping the units clean.

These are some of the most important considerations when you're employing commercial fryers. If you want to preserve your equipment investment, oil costs, and food quality, you need to be sure that you take care of the equipment and the oil properly. Start today by visiting resources like http://louiswohl.com to learn more.