Chip pan

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A cast iron chip pan with an aluminium basket being used to fry french fries. Fries cooking.jpg
A cast iron chip pan with an aluminium basket being used to fry french fries.

A chip pan is a deep-sided cooking pan used for deep-frying. Chip pans are named for their traditional use in frying chips (called "French fries" in the United States).

Contents

Today, they are made from either aluminium or stainless steel, although in the past were commonly made from cast iron. A basket is placed inside the pan, to lower the chips into the hot cooking oil, and to raise them once cooked.

Chip pans are commonly used in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, although are slowly being rendered obsolete by deep fryers. [1]

Manufacture

Chip pans are commonly manufactured through a spinning process, as the metal used is malleable. The lid is typically stamped out by a die in a heavy press. [2]

Safety and health

Repeated heating of oil is believed to greatly increase the free radicals in the oil, leading to a higher risk of heart disease. [3]

Injuries, particularly to children, caused by the hot oil from a chip pan falling on them are a common cause of hospital admission in the UK. [4] [5]

Fire hazards

Chip pans are the most common cause of house fires in the United Kingdom, with around 12,000 chip pan fires every year, 1100 of them considered serious, resulting in over 4600 injuries, and 50 deaths per year. British Fire Brigades frequently issue warnings and advice, urging households to switch to a safer means of cooking chips, and advising that, unless it can be easily contained, the fire be left to the emergency services. [6] [7] Several fire brigades have offered a "chip pan amnesty", trading old chip pans for a deep fryer. [8]

Chip pans account for one-fifth of all domestic fires in the Republic of Ireland. [9] After two men died in a 2016 fire in Cork City, a coroner recommended the sale of chip pans be banned and old chip pans be disposed of. [10] Another coroner noted the danger of people heavily inebriated by alcohol putting on a chip pan and falling asleep. [11] In 2015, at a halting site in Carrickmines, eleven people were killed in a chip pan fire, the worst fire in Ireland for 34 years.

Prevention

Measures to prevent chip fires include: [12] [13] [14] [15]

  • Not using chip pans (making oven chips, microwave chips, or frying in a thermostat-controlled electric deep fryer).
  • Not using chip pans when feeling unwell, or after having taken alcohol or other drugs.
  • Not filling the pan more than 1/3 full; frying food in small amounts.
  • Not leaving the pan unattended, even if the phone or doorbell rings.
  • Turning the handle to the side so as not to accidentally knock it (but not over another hot ring).
  • If the oil or fat starts to smoke, not adding food, turning off the heat immediately, and waiting for it to cool down.
  • Drying food before adding it to the oil, including removing any ice.
  • Adding a small piece of food to test the temperature; if it crisps quickly, the oil is already hot enough.

Some local fire services will supply free deep fryers. [14] Electric deep fryers feature thermostat-controlled internal heating elements that prevent the oil being heated to the point of ignition.

Dealing with a chip pan fire

A correct mitigation approach includes: [12] [13] [16]

  • Not moving the pan.
  • Turning off the heat, if it can be done safely. Leaning over the fire to reach the controls is unsafe.
  • Putting out the fire only if it can be done safely.
    • The best way to accomplish this is to place a lid on the pan.
    • If not possible a class F extinguisher can be used, however care must be taken not to spread the fire outside of the pan. Other extinguisher classes have to be avoided.
    • Adding water must be avoided at all costs, as it leads to violent fire spread.
  • If the fire cannot be put out, getting everyone out of the room, closing the door, getting everyone out of the house, and then calling the fire department.

Deprecated countermeasures

A demonstration of a chip pan fire (125mL, half a cup, of oil) when water is added by Fire and Rescue NSW (video) Kitchen oil fire demonstration (4).jpg
A demonstration of a chip pan fire (125mL, half a cup, of oil) when water is added by Fire and Rescue NSW (video)
The result of adding 200 ml of water to a liter of burning oil TDFw 135a.jpg
The result of adding 200 ml of water to a liter of burning oil

It is essential not to use water to extinguish a chip pan fire. Attempts to extinguish cooking oil fires with water result in a slopover , an extremely dangerous condition whereby the flaming oil is violently expelled from the container. [17]


Cooking oil fires (Europe class F, US class K) burn hotter than other typical combustible liquids, rendering the standard class A and B fire extinguishers ineffective and even dangerous. Class F fire extinguishers featuring a yellow label use saponification to put out chip pan fires by spraying an alkaline solution which reacts with the fat to make non-flammable soap. These extinguishers are generally only available in industrial and commercial kitchens.

The use of fire blankets has traditionally been considered effective and safe, especially in Europe and Australia. [18] [19] It has, however, been put in question by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. [20] [21] The Netherlands Foundation for Burn Wounds reported several accidents involving the use of fire blankets when extinguishing oil/fat fires. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French fries</span> Deep-fried strips of potato

French fries, chips, finger chips, french-fried potatoes, or simply fries, are batonnet or allumette-cut deep-fried potatoes of disputed origin from Belgium or France. They are prepared by cutting potatoes into even strips, drying them, and frying them, usually in a deep fryer. Pre-cut, blanched, and frozen russet potatoes are widely used, and sometimes baked in a regular or convection oven; air fryers are small convection ovens marketed for frying potatoes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep frying</span> Cooking food under hot fat

Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot fat, traditionally lard but today most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow oil used in conventional frying done in a frying pan. Normally, a deep fryer or chip pan is used for this; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used. Deep frying may also be performed using oil that is heated in a pot. Deep frying is classified as a hot-fat cooking method. Typically, deep frying foods cook quickly since oil has a high rate of heat conduction and all sides of the food are cooked simultaneously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan frying</span> Cooking technique

Pan frying or pan-frying is a form of frying food characterized by the use of minimal cooking oil or fat, typically using just enough to lubricate the pan. In the case of a greasy food such as bacon, no oil or fats may need to be added. As a form of frying, the technique relies on oil or fat as the heat transfer medium, and on correct temperature and time to not overcook or burn the food. Pan frying can serve to retain the moisture in foods such as meat and seafood. The food is typically flipped at least once to ensure that both sides are cooked properly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convection oven</span> Appliance that heats food

A convection oven is an oven that has fans to circulate air around food to create an evenly heated environment. The increased air circulation causes a fan-assisted oven to cook food faster than a conventional non-fan oven, which relies only on natural convection to circulate the hot air. Fan-assisted convection ovens are commonly used for baking as well as non-food, industrial applications. Small countertop convection ovens for household use are often marketed as air fryers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firefighting</span> Actions to prevent damage from fire

Firefighting is a profession aimed at controlling and extinguishing fire. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter or fireman. Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training. This involves structural firefighting and wildland firefighting. Specialized training includes aircraft firefighting, shipboard firefighting, aerial firefighting, maritime firefighting, and proximity firefighting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep fryer</span> Type of cooking appliance

A deep fryer is a kitchen appliance used for deep frying. Deep frying is a method of cooking by submerging food into oil at high heat, typically between temperatures of 350 to 375 °F.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkey fryer</span> Apparatus for deep-frying a turkey

A turkey fryer is an apparatus for deep-frying a turkey. Fried turkey has been a popular item in the Southern United States, and has become popular in other parts of the country because of the reduced time needed to cook a turkey in a deep fryer, versus other conventional methods such as an oven or a rotisserie grill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire control</span> Practice of reducing the heat output of a fire

Fire control is the practice of reducing the heat output of a fire, reducing the area over which the fire exists, or suppressing or extinguishing the fire by depriving it of fuel, oxygen, or heat. Fire prevention and control is the prevention, detection, and extinguishment of fires, including such secondary activities as research into the causes of fire, education of the public about fire hazards, and the maintenance and improvement of fire-fighting equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire blanket</span> Sheet of fire retardant material used to smother fires

A fire blanket is a safety device designed to extinguish incipient (starting) fires. It consists of a sheet of a fire retardant material that is placed over a fire in order to smother it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of food preparation</span> Overview of and topical guide to food preparation

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the preparation of food:

A fire class is a system of categorizing fire with regard to the type of material and fuel for combustion. Class letters are often assigned to the different types of fire, but these differ between territories; there are separate standards for the United States, Europe, and Australia. The fire class is used to determine the types of extinguishing agents that can be used for that category.

A vacuum fryer is a deep-frying device housed inside a vacuum chamber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire extinguisher</span> Active fire protection device

A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers the user, or otherwise requires the equipment, personnel, resources or expertise of a fire brigade. Typically, a fire extinguisher consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an agent that can be discharged to extinguish a fire. Fire extinguishers manufactured with non-cylindrical pressure vessels also exist but are less common.

The use of a cutting extinguisher is a fire extinguishing technique that combines abrasive waterjet cutting with water spray extinguishing, through a single handpiece or nozzle. The fire-fighter approaches the fire from outside the main fire area, then uses the cutting action to drill a small hole through a door or wall. Switching to a water spray then allows the fire to be fought, as with a conventional fog nozzle.

A boilover is an extremely hazardous situation in which a water layer under a pool fire starts boiling, which results in a significant increase in fire intensity accompanied by violent expulsion of burning fluid to the surrounding areas.

A thermal burn is a type of burn resulting from making contact with heated objects, such as boiling water, steam, hot cooking oil, fire, and hot objects. Scalds are the most common type of thermal burn suffered by children, but for adults thermal burns are most commonly caused by fire. Burns are generally classified from first degree up to fourth degree, but the American Burn Association (ABA) has categorized thermal burns as minor, moderate, and major, based almost solely on the depth and size of the burn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frying</span> Cooking of food in oil or another fat

Frying is the cooking of food in oil or another fat. Similar to sautéing, pan-fried foods are generally turned over once or twice during cooking to make sure that the food is well-made, using tongs or a spatula, while sautéed foods are cooked by "tossing in the pan". A large variety of foods may be fried.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triple-cooked chips</span> Type of deep-fried potato

Triple-cooked chips are a type of chips developed by the English chef Heston Blumenthal. Blumenthal began work on the recipe in 1993, and eventually developed the three-stage cooking process. The chips are first simmered, then cooled and drained using a sous-vide technique or by freezing; deep fried at 130 °C (266 °F) and cooled again; and finally deep-fried again at 180 °C (356 °F). The result is what Blumenthal calls "chips with a glass-like crust and a soft, fluffy centre".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooking oil</span> Oil consumed by humans, of vegetable or animal origin

Cooking oil is a plant or animal liquid fat used in frying, baking, and other types of cooking. Oil allows higher cooking temperatures than water, making cooking faster and more flavorful, while likewise distributing heat, reducing burning and uneven cooking. It sometimes imparts its own flavor. Cooking oil is also used in food preparation and flavoring not involving heat, such as salad dressings and bread dips.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Class B fire</span> Class of fire

In fire classes, a Class B fire is a fire in flammable liquids or flammable gases, petroleum greases, tars, oils, oil-based paints, solvents, lacquers, or alcohols. For example, propane, natural gas, gasoline and kerosene fires are types of Class B fires. The use of lighter fluid on a charcoal grill, for example, creates a Class B fire. Some plastics are also Class B fire materials.

References

  1. ↑ "Chip Pan Fires". Surrey Fire and Rescue Service . 2009-06-19. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  2. ↑ Willacy, David M. (1992). Craft and Design in Wood. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. ISBN   9780748710669 . Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  3. ↑ Rhodes, Christopher J., ed. (2000). Toxicology of the Human Environment. London and New York, N.Y.: Taylor & Francis. ISBN   0-7484-0916-5.
  4. ↑ Liao, Ching-Chuan; Rossignol, Annette MacKay (2000). "Landmarks in Burn Prevention". Burns. 26 (5): 422–434. doi:10.1016/S0305-4179(00)00026-7. PMID   10812263.
  5. ↑ Whitaker, I.S.; Oliver, D.W. (2002). "A 5-year Retrospective Study: Burn Injuries Due to Hot Cooking Oil". Burns. 28 (4): 401–402. doi:10.1016/S0305-4179(02)00005-0. PMID   12052384.
  6. ↑ "Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service: Chip pans". Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service . Archived from the original on 2015-05-20. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  7. ↑ "Chip Pan Safety Advice". UK Fire Service Resources. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  8. ↑ "Hand In Your Pan: Chip Pan Amnesty!". Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service . 2007-02-09. Archived from the original on 2008-05-05. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
  9. ↑ "Deadly Effect of Water on Chip-pan Fire Displayed". Irish Examiner . 2008-10-07. Archived from the original on 2019-04-17.
  10. ↑ English, Eoin (2017-01-25). "Video: Coroner Calls for Ban Chip Pan Sales Following House Fire". Irish Examiner . Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  11. ↑ "Inquest Told Teenager Overcome by Chip Pan Fumes". RTÉ . 2015-04-21. Archived from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  12. 1 2 "Chip Pan Fire Safety Tips". Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service . Archived from the original on 2016-03-09.
  13. 1 2 "Chip Pan Fires". Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service . Archived from the original on 2022-04-10.
  14. 1 2 "Chip Pan Safety Advice". UK Fire Service Resources. Archived from the original on 2023-08-05. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  15. ↑ "Chip Pans and Deep-Frying". Scottish Fire and Rescue Service . Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  16. ↑ "Fires in the Kitchen". Fire Safety Advice Centre. 2022-02-09. Archived from the original on 2023-07-29. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  17. ↑ API (1991). Fighting Fires in and Around Flammable and Combustible Liquid Atmospheric Storage Tanks. API Publication 2021 (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Petroleum Institute. p. 29. A slopover can result when a water stream is applied to the hot surface of a burning oil, provided the oil is viscous and its temperature exceeds the boiling point of water. Since only the surface oil is involved, a slopover is a relatively mild occurrence.
  18. ↑ LACORS (2008). Housing – Fire Safety: Guidance on Fire Safety Provisions for Certain Types of Existing Housing (PDF). Burgess Hill: Newman Thomson. ISBN   978-1-84049-638-3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  19. ↑ Ahrens, Marty; Hall, John; Comoletti, Judy; Gamache, Sharon; LeBeau, Amy (2007). Behavioral Mitigation of Cooking Fires Through Strategies Based on Statistical Analysis. Final Project Report for EME-2005-CA-0343. Washington, D.C.: Federal Emergency Management Agency . Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  20. ↑ "Niet alle blusdekens blussen olie- en vetbranden" [Not All Fire Blankets Extinguish Oil and Grease Fires]. Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (in Dutch). 2013-12-23. Archived from the original on 2014-11-07.
  21. ↑ "Belangrijke veiligheidswaarschuwing: blusdekens niet geschikt voor frituurbranden" [Important Safety Warning: Fire Blankets Are Not Suitable for Deep-Frying Fires]. Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (in Dutch). 2014-10-31. Archived from the original on 2014-11-07.
  22. ↑ Stegenga, Marieke. "Vlam in de pan: niet blussen met een blusdeken" [Flame in the Pan: Do Not Extinguish with a Fire Blanket]. Nederlandse Brandwonden Stichting (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2014-11-07.
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