Abstract:
The study focused on the quality assessment of used frying oils in some selected hotels
and restaurants in Sekondi-Takoradi. Specifically, knowledge and usage of oils among
kitchen staff; determination of how often the same oil is used in cooking; ascertaining the
physical properties kitchen staff look at to discard oil and assessing the physicochemical
qualities of oils used by hotel/restaurant kitchen staff were sought. The study adopted a
mixed method approach (quantitative and qualitative) in evaluating the quality of oils
after repeated frying. Samples of used frying oils were collected from selected hotels and
restaurants from the metropolis. The target population (45 respondents) were aged
eighteen (18) years and above. Data was obtained by means of a self-administered
questionnaire and analysis was conducted using both descriptive and inferential statistics.
From the study, the FFA of the oils ranged between 0.35% and 1.4% for the oil sampled.
The acid value of the oils sampled was within the range of 0.67mg KOH/g to
2.79mgKOH/ whilst The peroxide values obtained for the oil samples were within the
range from 0.99 meq/kg to 12.85 meq/kg. The study revealed that respondents had a fair
idea or knowledge on what to look for when selecting a good cooking oil on the markets.
Most consumers of cooks believe that it is easy to dispose used oils by using them for
preparing ‘shito’ and other sauces regardless of the health implication. The study
therefore recommends that cooks should not continue reusing cooking oils over and over
again since reusing over a period of time produces reactions that are harmful or injurious
to the health of the human consumptions.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM EDUCATION,
Faculty of Vocational Education, submitted to the school of Graduate Studies in
partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of
Philosophy
(Catering and Hospitality) in the University of Education, Winneba
