What is considered the optimum range for free fatty acids in doughnut frying shortening?
A free fatty acid content of 0.4 to 0.5 percent in frying shortening is considered about optimum, with a satisfactory operating range of 0.2 to 0.75 percent. Fresh fat with no break-in period may contain less than the optimum amount, the result being a ragged break, low fat absorption, and a pale crust on the doughnut. Excessive free fatty acids will produce excessive fat absorption, dark crust, misshapen sugared doughnuts. Excessive free fatty acids can be determined by darkness of color in the frying fat, excessive foaming, and excessive smoking above the fat.
