Industry makeover will serve up healthier deep-fried chips

Seven standards will apply. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The classic deep-fried chip is to undergo a healthy makeover following the introduction of new standards to the food service industry.

The seven standards - which include using less salt, cutting a bigger and straighter chip and using low-fat cooking oil - have been identified by The Chip Group, a partnership between industry groups and the Heart Foundation.

Chairwoman Glenda Gourley said the standards were developed after the Ministry of Health granted funding to implement a three-year programme focused on improving the nutritional profile of chips.

"These are voluntary standards and staff working within the food service industry are being encouraged to use them as part of their daily work," Ms Gourley said.

"In launching them, we hope to be able to help restaurants to serve up tastier and healthier chips to their customers and, at the same time, improve the cost efficiency of their businesses."

GUIDE FOR FAST-FOOD CONNOISSEURS

Chip size: Use thick straight-cut chips of at least 13mm.

Cooking: Use a digital thermometer to check the oil temperature. Cook chips at a temperature of 175C for between three and four minutes for final fry.

Drainage: Bang or shake the basket vigorously twice then hang for at least 20 seconds.

Frying medium maintenance: Maintain a good-quality frying medium. Keep fryer topped up with fresh frying medium. Cool frying medium and cover fryers when not in use. Test and discard frying medium when it shows signs of degradation.

Frying medium: Use a frying medium that meets the following criteria: saturated fat equal to, or less than 28 per cent; trans fat equal to, or less than 1 per cent.

Salt: Use salt sparingly, if seasoning chips.

Training and education: Adopt best-practice frying training for staff.

- NZPA