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Frying fish is a common cooking method, but have you ever considered the type of oil you use and how it affects the nutritional value of your meal? The University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) studied the effects of frying technique, fish type, and oil type on the lipid profile of sea bass and sea bream. The study, published in the journal Food Research, discovered that the type of oil used could significantly impact the healthiness of fried fish.
The researchers studied the changes in the lipid composition of the fish and the frying oil using Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (H-1 NMR). They used extra virgin olive oil and refined sunflower oil to shallow-fry European seabass and gilthead seabream fillets in a frying pan and a microwave oven.
The study discovered that during shallow frying, fish lipids migrate to the frying oil, and the oil's components are transferred to the fish fillet, which means that the composition of the oil used for frying is modified. Extra virgin olive oil was more afffluent in omega-3, omega-1 acyl groups, linoleic and saturated fats from fish after frying, but poorer in oleic, the primary acyl group in olive oil. Meanwhile, the sunflower oil was enriched by all acyl group types from fish except linoleic, the majority acyl group in sunflower oil.
The study's most important finding was that when sea bass and sea bream were shallow fried (pan fried) in sunflower oil, oxidation products (aldehydes) were generated. These aldehydes, some of which are potentially toxic, did not form when frying with extra virgin olive oil or even when using sunflower oil in a microwave oven. This is because extra virgin olive oil is less likely to break down than sunflower oil, so the thermal oxidation process did not occur.
The researchers recommend using extra virgin olive oil for frying fish, even in the microwave, to avoid forming potentially toxic oxidation products and produce a healthier result. The study highlights the importance of considering the type of oil used and the frying method when preparing fish. It also shows that small amounts of cholesterol enriched both kinds of oil from the fish and that small-scale thermal oxidation may occur due to high temperatures.
Finally, The University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU’s study highlights the health benefits of using extra virgin olive oil for frying fish, particularly in the microwave, to reduce the formation of potentially dangerous oxidation products. By being aware of the type of oil we use and how we fry, we can make small changes to our cooking that can significantly affect how healthy our meals are.
Note: We are not professionals, so we use data from many other internet sources to maintain that the information provided is proven.
Sources: Science Direct, Science Daily.