Quality assessment of cooking oil used in food preparation in hospitals of Rasht city

Subject Areas : Food Science and Technology

AZIN NASROLLAH ZADEH ^{1 *} , Mandana Tayefe ² , afsaneh yabandpor ³ , negar Enshaei ⁴

1 - Department of Food Science and Technology, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran
2 - Department of Food Science and Technology, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran
3 - MSc in Food Science and Technology, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran
4 - Undergraduate student of Food Science and Technology, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran

Received: 2024-10-28 Accepted : 2025-07-05 Published : 2025-05-21

Keywords: Acidity, Hospital, Peroxide, Oil, Food,

Abstract :

Balanced nutrition plays a critical role in reducing healthcare costs and improving overall community health. This study aimed to assess the quality of cooking oil used in hospital food preparation across Rasht. The experimental design considered two preparation methods (dietary: D1 vs. non-dietary: D2), two food types (solid: mixed [F1] vs. semi-solid with solid pieces [F2]), and two hospital types (public: H1 vs. private: H2). Key oil quality parameters—including absorption rate, acidity, peroxide value, anisidine value, and total Totox value—were evaluated. The results revealed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in oil absorption and oxidative indices across food types and hospital categories. Semi-solid foods exhibited higher oil absorption (7.81%) compared to solid foods (3.49%), whereas solid foods showed greater oxidative deterioration. Dietary cooking methods yielded better outcomes in both hospital types, with reduced oil absorption and improved oxidative stability. Notably, solid foods were more prone to oxidative spoilage in both public and private hospital settings. These findings underscore the importance of improving cooking practices, selecting high-quality raw ingredients, and optimizing thermal processing parameters in hospital food services. The implementation of targeted staff training programs on proper cooking techniques is recommended to enhance nutritional quality and uphold food safety standards in healthcare environments.