I was watching The Fixer on BBC Two last night and the fish and chip shop featured uses ground nut (or peanut) oil as an ingredient in its oil for frying.

As someone with an allergy to peanuts I would be interested to know if it is common for fish and chip shops to use such an oil?

Thanks

When I used to work in a chip shop back when I was in 5th and 6th form, they always used pure beef dripping but most used oil even then and I suspect they use the one that will tolerate the highest temperature that is neutral-flavoured and they can get at the best price. For many, that will be groundnut oil.

I was quite suprised by that, as groundnut oil tends to be quite pricey - at least around here in the supermarkets, though the chinese shop does it cheaper.
I'dve thought rapeseed oil would be most used but obviously if you have allegies you'll know to check now.

Yes I'll be checking for sure. I have a fairly mild allergy so I'm not overly concerned but will be interesting to find out from the chippy's I use whether they do or not.

Most chip shops advertise if they use ground nut oil - more because they think it makes them sound fancier than worrying about people's allfergies! I wouldn't say it's common due to the price difference but i agree, you should check before ordering from now on.

Also keep in mind that mild allergies can get worse over time if you keep on eating the food concerned and nut is one you wouldn't want to mess with!

I use corn oil. I get it from the world isle in Tesco.

I have a dual DFF though and in one half I have dripping.


Depends on how I feel as to what I cook my chips in.

We used to use corn oil in a cafe I worked in a few years back, in fact many years back. I used to triple dip the chips, which made them nice and crispy on the outside and nice and soft in the inside.

Corn oil was a bit cheaper then, it is really expensive now.

How many times have you had to reach for your epipen after eating chips? Why not just ask before your order?

As I said in a subsequent post my allergy is mild, so thankfully I don't have to carry an epipen. I also said that in future I will be asking.

Is there a problem with me wanting to know if this is a commonly used oil? My local cant speak for all fish and chip shops.

Most I've been in use 'FRY LITE'; it's always on the box in a few near me. 100% vegetable oil no trans fat apparently

It seems you can use groundnut oil (peanut oil) if you have a nut allergy.
http://www.peanut-institute.org/eati...-allergens.asp

Well that's interesting! Thanks for posting the link.

I haven't read the link, so apologies if it's covered there, but I seem to recall QI saying that the peanut isn't in fact a nut at all. (Can't remember what it is. A seed, maybe?)

I remember watching that too, they said they were peas!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/q...bout-nuts.html on the section a little bit down

They are a legume.