The Chip Fryer Award

St Helens Council have relaunched the popular Chip Award, encouraging chip shops to make small changes to how they cut and cook their chips to make them healthier for the customer.

To qualify for this award, chip shops must achieve everything listed below:

The business must have:

• Food Hygiene Rating of 3 or above
• A temperature probe to check oil temperature
• Have a facility to filter the oil regularly
• Offer smaller than standard portions

The chip must be:

• Straight cut with a diameter of 12mm to 15mm
• Dried for 20 mins prior to frying or use Drywhite solution
• Cooked for 5-6 mins at minimum temperature of 170^o C (175^oC recommended)

The oil must be:

• Vegetable oil only
• Cook at a temperature of 170^oC (175^oC recommended)
• Temperature checked each day before frying
• Sieved after each frying
• Filtered/changed regularly

Why do we ask for these standards?

The Business:

St Helens Council expects the award winner to demonstrate an understanding of food safety and food management. A food hygiene rating of 3 (Generally Satisfactory) or above means the business has demonstrated that understanding to the Council's Environmental Health Officer during an inspection. The award will be removed if the business falls below a food rating of 3. You can check any businesses food rating by typing in the business name and postcode following this link https://ratings.food.gov.uk/

The award requires chips to be cooked at a particular temperature, the business will need a probe to check the temperature of the oil they are using to fry.

The business should offer a smaller portion than their normal portion to allow customers to choose not only healthier chips but a smaller portion to cut their calorie intake even further.

The Chip:

Straight cut chips with a diameter of 12mm to 15mm absorbs less fat than thinner 'shoestring' chips.

Dry chips or chips treated with Drywhite© solution absorb less fat when they are cooked.

Cooking chips for 5-6 mins is the optimum time to get the best chip with the least fat absorption, when fried at a temperature over 170^OC, 175^OC is the ideal temperature.

The Oil:

Vegetable oil is one of the healthiest kinds of oil you can use for frying, animal fats contain high levels of saturated fat which is classed as an unhealthy fat.

The temperature of the oil is important in providing a healthier chip, a minimum of 170^OC, is required and a recommended temperature of 175^OC.

The temperature of the oil should be checked daily to ensure the oil is above 170^OC before frying.

The oil should be sieved in between each frying to remove food bits that may burn and carbonise this reduces the quality and lifespan of the oil.

The whole vat of oil should be filtered or changed regularly to keep it clean and reduce carbonisation.

The current Award winners are: