# Impact of Frying Olive Oil Type on the Physicochemical and Sensory Quality of Commercial Chicken Nuggets

## TL;DR

This study compares how different types of olive oil affect the quality of fried chicken nuggets, finding minimal differences in most attributes.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the impact of extra virgin, refined, and pomace olive oils on the quality of fried chicken nuggets.

## Key findings

- Fat content and most physicochemical properties showed no significant differences across oil types.
- Extra virgin olive oil produced higher terpene levels in fried nuggets compared to other oils.
- Pomace olive oil was associated with more toasted/burnt notes but did not affect overall liking.

## Abstract

Frying is one of the most widely used cooking techniques, and olive oil is considered a suitable medium due to its high monounsaturated fatty acid content and natural antioxidants. Different olive oil categories vary in quality and price, yet their impact on fried food quality remains underexplored. This study used commercial chicken nuggets, a product commonly fried at home (180 °C), to evaluate how extra virgin, refined, and pomace olive oils influence nutritional (moisture, fat, and fatty acids), physicochemical (mechanical and acoustic properties, colour, and volatiles), and sensory attributes (Rate-All-That-Apply and hedonic tests). Overall, oil type produced minimal differences. Fat content did not vary (18.00–18.58 g/100 g), and although some fatty acid differences were significant, they were nutritionally negligible. Instrumental colour and most texture parameters were also unaffected. Volatile analysis showed terpenes as the most abundant class, with significantly higher levels in nuggets fried in extra virgin olive oil (344.8) compared with refined and pomace oils, which were similar (218.6 and 172.8, respectively). Nuggets fried in pomace olive oil were more often associated with toasted and burnt notes, supported by higher pyrazine levels (124.8 vs. 80.1 and 33.5), yet overall liking did not differ significantly (6.4 vs. 6.7 and 6.8). These results suggest that pomace olive oil, being considerably more affordable, represents a cost-effective frying alternative without compromising product quality.