A characteristic of edible oil may be evaluated using a spectrometer. For example, optical reflectance data may be obtained from edible oil in situ in a frying apparatus housing the edible oil, the reflectance data corresponding to a specified range of infra-red wavelengths. A model profile corresponding to the characteristic being assessed may be obtained, such as from a repository housing a secured library of such profiles. The model profile may define a regression vector for use in transforming the reflectance data to generate a value corresponding to the characteristic being assessed. A criterion may be applied to the value to establish a simplified representation of the characteristic for presentation to a user for assessment of oil quality.

A characteristic of edible oil may be evaluated using a spectrometer. For example, optical reflectance data may be obtained from edible oil in situ in a frying apparatus housing the edible oil, the reflectance data corresponding to a specified range of infra-red wavelengths. A model profile corresponding to the characteristic being assessed may be obtained, such as from a repository housing a secured library of such profiles. The model profile may define a regression vector for use in transforming the reflectance data to generate a value corresponding to the characteristic being assessed. A criterion may be applied to the value to establish a simplified representation of the characteristic for presentation to a user for assessment of oil quality.

A frying unit, comprising an oil pan (1) which is essentially open on top, a transport unit (2), using which a basket (3) is movable from a filling position into the interior of the oil pan (1) and using which the basket (3) is movable from the interior of the oil pan (1) into an emptying position, wherein the oil pan (1) is designed in such a way that it can accommodate multiple baskets (3) simultaneously, and the transport unit (2) is designed in such a way that the baskets (3) are movable independently of one another.

A frying unit, comprising an oil pan (1) which is essentially open on top, a transport unit (2), using which a basket (3) is movable from a filling position into the interior of the oil pan (1) and using which the basket (3) is movable from the interior of the oil pan (1) into an emptying position, wherein the oil pan (1) is designed in such a way that it can accommodate multiple baskets (3) simultaneously, and the transport unit (2) is designed in such a way that the baskets (3) are movable independently of one another.

A degree of deterioration of frying oil in a fryer can be assessed easily and accurately. A frying oil deterioration assessment device 41 comprises a recording unit 45 that records types of fried foods 19 fried in frying oil 17 in an electric fryer 14 and a fried quantity for each type, a holding unit 46 that holds correlation data indicating a relationship between the fried quantity for each type of fried food 19 and a degree of deterioration of the frying oil 17, and an assessment unit 47 that assesses the degree of deterioration of the frying oil 17 on the basis of the correlation data and the recorded types of fried food 19 and fried quantity of each type.

A degree of deterioration of frying oil in a fryer can be assessed easily and accurately. A frying oil deterioration assessment device 41 comprises a recording unit 45 that records types of fried foods 19 fried in frying oil 17 in an electric fryer 14 and a fried quantity for each type, a holding unit 46 that holds correlation data indicating a relationship between the fried quantity for each type of fried food 19 and a degree of deterioration of the frying oil 17, and an assessment unit 47 that assesses the degree of deterioration of the frying oil 17 on the basis of the correlation data and the recorded types of fried food 19 and fried quantity of each type.

Provided is an edible oil deterioration level determination device and the like capable of precisely determining the deterioration level of frying oil. A deterioration level determination device 5 for determining the deterioration level of frying oil Y comprises an air bubble image extraction section 51 for extracting an air bubble image that is an image of a portion of air bubbles formed due to deep-fry cooking from an oil surface image, a feature parameter calculation section 54 for calculating a feature parameter F characterizing deterioration of the frying oil Y from the air bubble image extracted by the air bubble image extraction section 51, a deterioration indicator estimation section 55 for estimating a deterioration indicator DI of the frying oil Y based on the feature parameter F, and a deterioration level determination section 56 for determining the deterioration level of the frying oil Y based on the deterioration indicator DI.

Provided is an edible oil deterioration level determination device and the like capable of precisely determining the deterioration level of frying oil. A deterioration level determination device 5 for determining the deterioration level of frying oil Y comprises an air bubble image extraction section 51 for extracting an air bubble image that is an image of a portion of air bubbles formed due to deep-fry cooking from an oil surface image, a feature parameter calculation section 54 for calculating a feature parameter F characterizing deterioration of the frying oil Y from the air bubble image extracted by the air bubble image extraction section 51, a deterioration indicator estimation section 55 for estimating a deterioration indicator DI of the frying oil Y based on the feature parameter F, and a deterioration level determination section 56 for determining the deterioration level of the frying oil Y based on the deterioration indicator DI.

For the monitoring of an oil situated in a tank 19, it is provided that an oil measurement device 1 be equipped with a rigid or flexible probe 2 such that, by the use of a pump 5 integrated in the oil measurement device 1, oil can be delivered out of the tank 19 via an inlet opening 3 at the proximal end of the probe 2 into a measurement chamber 4, which is connected to the probe, of the oil measurement device 1. Here, the oil measurement device 1 has a measurement sensor for determining the quality of oil situated in the measurement chamber 4, and the pump 5, in conjunction with the probe 2, is configured such that oil can be returned from the measurement chamber 4 to the inlet opening 3 and thus to the tank 19.

Methods of determining whether a toxicant is present in a consumable product, which comprise contacting a teleost embryo with an extract from a sample of the consumable product and determining whether the extract exerts a toxicity effect on the embryo.