Best practices for using an oil filtration system

An article written by the VITO UK team

Purchasing and using an oil filter system, for your restaurant can help you keep standards high, production times on track and your food tasting great by removing carbon and food particles from your frying oil. It can even help reduce your oil consumption by up to 50%. Here we outline the best practices for using an oil filtration system to make sure you get the most out of your machine.

Filter your oil at least once a day

Frying food in dirty oil can have a negative impact on the taste and texture of your food. The reason for this is down to the oil breaking down due to food particles, acids and ice crystals from frozen foods. This will cause the oil to thicken, which will then have a negative impact on cooking times due to heat transfer.
Using unclean oil can even cause machine failure and potentially even grease fires, leaving you with large engineer bills to help get you back up and running. Therefore it is recommended that you filter your frying oil at least once a day, or even more depending on heavy usage. Some newer oil filtration systems can filter hot, meaning you can ensure quality control without losing much time by waiting for oil to cool.

Remember to clean and maintain your filter

Much like the oil you are filtering, oil filtration units need care and attention too. Some oil filter systems can break if used in water or cleaning fluids, and heavy wire brushes and abrasives can damage the system so you must always follow the manufacturers instructions on cleaning and maintaining your filtration unit. For safety reasons, ensure that the machine has cooled down completely before attempting any cleaning and maintenance.
Particle filter papers need to be changed when required, as overuse can impact the effectiveness of filtering. These can be disposed of in a normal refuse bin.
It is also recommended to have your filtration system serviced by a professional regularly to ensure it is working to its full potential.

Purchasing considerations

If you are considering purchasing an oil filtration system for your business, it is always worth making sure you get the correct one for your needs. Oil filters come in all shapes and sizes, so double check that you get one that is the recommended and correct size for your fryer. You can purchase additional oil testing systems that will quickly and reliably determine the quality of your oil, meaning you will never waste time and effort by filtering your oil too early (or late) again.

Safety essentials

To keep you and your staff safe, you should always check your operator’s handbook to ensure that you are using your filter in the correct manner. For example, some machines can only work up to certain temperatures, and should not be moved once performing a filter cycle. Always leave the machine to cool down before cleaning, and ensure it is stored safely away in the correct manner.