Commercial Deep Fryers, Safety Tips You Should Know To Avoid Accidents

Contents

How to use the fryer to avoid accidents?

To know how to use the fryer you can follow several indications, the first advice to avoid accidents is to avoid working with “cold tank” fryers. That is to say, fryers whose vat contains water and oil. For a while, some industrial kitchen manufacturers have produced fryers with a lower tank to contain water (and at the same time make it easier to clean up the oil), the waste goes down and the oil stays clean.

Although the theory is good, in practice there have been many accidents and they are now in disuse, the most common accident is caused by the tank overflowing when freezing and mixing water with oil, even producing oil explosions (by vaporization of the water) that produce serious burns. Therefore, if you have one of these fryers, the recommendation is to retire it immediately.

© courtesy of carolinetoh- flickr.com

What do I have to keep in mind to avoid accidents using the fryer?

Do not exceed 160-180º temperature in the fryer. Above that temperature, oils decompose and provide unpleasant flavours, and burned oils can be toxic.

Food must be dry before it is fried. Water forms bubbles in the oil and can explode, causing severe burns.

Use different fryers depending on the product to be fried, at least one for potatoes and another for the rest of the fryers, if possible three better, potatoes, fish and the rest.

Every day it is advisable to remove the oil from the fryer and decant it to eliminate the burnt particles.

Do not exceed the maximum filling level.

Avoid placing the fryer next to other “open fire” equipment in the kitchen.

It is not advisable to mix different types of oil such as sunflower and olive or soya. Oils of different types have different boiling points and when they are mixed, the oil with the lowest boiling point will be burnt and the oil will be contaminated.

Using quality fryers is essential for good service in the kitchen. It is important that they have an adequate power, if they are of little power when throwing the cold product it cooks it instead of frying it with the decrease in the quality of the final product.

Very Important! The frozen potato fryer must be very powerful so that when the potatoes are added, the oil boils on the surface and the water does not mix with the oil.The quality of the oil must be measured daily.

Before cleaning the fryer, disconnect the power supply.
Do not use abrasive products or detergents, and do not place the heating elements under a stream of hot water.

Wait until the oil is cold to carry out cleaning operations.

© courtesy of hollyday world- flickr.com

There is an open flame in the fryer, the unit can get hot enough to ignite nearby materials, make sure the area around the fryer is free of fuel or easily combustible materials.

Do not provide the fryer with a gas that is not specified on the data plate. If you need to convert the fryer to other types of fuel, contact your dealer.

Do not use an open flame to test for gas leaks

Wait five minutes before attempting to light the pilot light again to permit the gas to be dissipated from the fryer.

Never melt blocks of butter on top of the burner tubes. This will start a fire and will void your warranty.

Water and butter do not mix. Maintain liquids away from hot butter. Drop frozen liquid food into the hot shortening will cause a sudden, violent boil.

At operating temperature, the temperature of the butter will be over 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Extreme Care must be taken when filtering the shortening of the operating temperature to avoid injury to personnel.

Make sure the fryer can get sufficient air to keep the flame burning correctly. If the flame is hungry for air, it can emit a very dangerous carbon monoxide gas. Carbon monoxide is a clear, odorless gas that can cause
Asphyxiation.

© courtesy of William Holland- flickr.com

What happens if you leave a fryer on all night?

Leaving a fryer on in a kitchen is very dangerous because the oil it contains will overheat and could cause a fire, remember that oil at high temperatures starts fat burning processes and becomes unstable, toxic and volatile, if you have left the fryer on overnight, it is advisable as soon as you can to change all the oil and wash the fryer very well after it is off and at a safe temperature to handle it.

Safety in the installation of fryers

Hot oil is a potentially dangerous product, not only because it can cause severe burns, but also because it is highly flammable. The National Fire Protection Association requests that a the fryer is located at least 16 inches away from any equipment that uses a flame, like broilers and stove tops. Except for oil-free, the fryer should also be located under an exhaust hood, since it gives off moisture laden with grease (as well as gases, in the case of models).

Sides and back of the fryer must be at least six inches from the walls to be ventilated properly, permitting an unobstructed flow of combustion air. If a gas fryer is installed in a where the flow of incoming air (to your burners and to the blower motor) is limited, it will be accumulated Abnormally high temperatures and possible short-circuiting of the electrical part of the motor its controls.

Fryers have to be always mounted on strong legs or high-caliber metal supports. The assembly would also restrict the flow of air. Fryers must be correctly leveled, from the front to back and left, before use, they must be calibrated. For all these reasons, fryer installation is not a task that most general electricians or plumbers are skilled at it, it is recommended that you hire a professional installer.