Sam Wilbraham, executive chef and marketing director, FriPura, based in Hull, UK, said the filter reduces fat, calories and acrylamides in fried foods, without having to change cooking practices.
Fried food
“Reducing portion sizes or cutting out fried foods altogether is often the go-to idea when it comes to tackling health concerns, though we believe this doesn’t have to happen,” he said.
“These benefits, along with the fact oil life is doubled with the use of a FriPura filter, are what led to our award win.
“Because the filter’s price is less than that of the oil saved, the FriPura filter doesn’t cost anything to the business. On top of that, when you consider just how much cooking oil businesses go through every day, the additional money saved is staggering.”
The Caterer Product Excellence Awards recognize excellence and innovation in food, drink and equipment products within the hospitality sector. The ceremony was held at The In & Out Naval and Military Club in London, UK, on December 5.
Nominees in the ‘Technology: Hardware’ category were judged on innovation, benefits to operator, convenience and money-saving credentials.
Harmful chemicals
The judges said the FriPura filter improves food quality, cuts the number of calories and harmful chemicals in the oil and reduces costs to restaurants by doubling the life of the oil.
FriPura’s recognition comes at a time when there is a growing concern around the UK’s obesity levels.
Public Health England has been invited to investigate the calorie consumption among the population and produce a plan to reduce the number of calories in food in 2018.
Levels of acrylamide, a harmful chemical created when starchy foods are cooked for long periods at high temperatures, are also under scrutiny. April 2018 will see a new EU legislation come into play, requiring UK food businesses to mitigate acrylamide levels in their food.