COUNTERING THE SUNFLOWER OIL SHORTAGE IMPACT ON FRYING OILS THROUGH OIL BLENDING APPLICATIONS

The ultimate objective of this project is to develop an appropriate blended frying oil as an alternative to high-cost sunflower oil without changing the unique flavor profile and stability of fried foods, addressing the global shortage of sunflower oil and its impact on food security. Such an alternative can serve to reduce the high demand of sunflower oil caused by disruptions in the global supply chain and improve the quality of fried food products. The specific objectives of this proposal are: (1) develop formulate applicable vegetable oils that have an ideal fatty acid profile for deep-fat frying by blending readily available vegetable oils based on their fatty acid composition; (2) determine the flavor stability and quality of formulated vegetable oils using potato chips as the test product; and (3) evaluate the consumer acceptance of formulated vegetable oils through sensory testing of potato chips fried in formulated oils.