Hot air fryers are one of the most popular cooking methods that have shined in recent years. Hot air fryers, also known as airfryers, blow hot air to circulate the hot air around the food at high speed and cook the food in this way. With this method, both 80% less oil is used and foods that are as crispy and delicious as traditional deep-fried frying can be obtained. What’s more, food is exposed to fewer calories and less harmful chemicals such as acrylamide than traditional deep-frying.
So, do new generation cookers, which are claimed to be healthier with all their features, trigger food allergies? What are the effects on nutrients? Can someone with food allergies use hot air fryers, one of the new generation cooking methods? Here are their answers…
DO NEW GENERATION COOKING METHODS CAUSE ALLERGIES?
Expressing that hot air fryers can spread the allergens in the food to the hard-to-clean parts of the device while cooking the food placed in the hot air flow, Uzm. Dr. Velat Çelik said that even if the allergen-free food is used in the next cooking, the allergen remaining from the previous food may contaminate the new food and may cause a reaction when this food is eaten.
BEWARE OF CROSS CONTAMINATION!
Explaining this with an example, Dr. Dr. Velat Çelik said, “Imagine that you have a fish allergy and someone has fried fish in a hot air fryer before. Fish allergens may have spread to areas of the fryer that are difficult to clean, and contamination of the food during subsequent cooking may result in an allergic reaction. If there is someone at home with a food allergy, this device should be used with caution.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE ALLERGIES
Stating that some foods have the potential to cause allergies while their allergenicity decreases as they get warmer, Çelik said, “For example, a child with milk allergy can sometimes consume milk cake baked in traditional ovens without any problems. Or, an adult diagnosed with oral allergy syndrome can consume a microwaved apple without any problems while experiencing a reaction to a raw apple. Standardized recipes, temperatures and processing times have been determined for these procedures and are applied if the allergist deems it appropriate. However, with hot air fryers, it is not clear at what temperature and for how long a food should be processed to reduce its potential to cause allergies. Until studies are conducted on this subject, it is not recommended for individuals who tolerate baked/heated foods to prepare foods with these devices.
THOSE WITH FOOD ALLERGIES SHOULD BE CAREFUL
Stating that new generation cooking devices can cause smoke and odor if they are not cleaned adequately, Çelik said that this smell and smoke can cause shortness of breath and other respiratory complaints in asthmatic patients. As a result, there is not enough information about the use of hot air fryers in allergic diseases. Individuals with food allergies should be careful when using this device, and those with severe food allergies should avoid using common devices. Or it would be safer for them to use a special fryer.”