Pulmonary Effects Of Frying Vegetable Oils: An Experimental Study

AIM Deep fat frying is one of the popular forms of food preparing. During frying several volatil chemical compounds like acrolein, aldehydes and benzen were released.We constructed an experimental model for frying vegetable oil exposure to investigate the lower airway effects of frying in rats. METHODS A pilot study was conducted to measure PM2.5, PM10, total volatile compounds (TVOC),CO and CO2 concentrations in restaurants serving fried food. A cage composed from two different units was conducted to study fried vegetable oil exposure model.A deep fryer was inserted to one unit and the rats were held in the other. PM10 concentration was controlled. Twenty-four Winstor albino rats were randomized to four groups as acute;(n=7), subacute;(n=7), chronic;(n=7) and control;(n=3) according to the exposure duration as 120, 360,120 minutes/3 weeks and none respectively. Sacrification was performed 24 hours later from exposure.Trachea and lung tissue specimens were evaluated by two blind histologists under light microscope with Hematoksilen-Eozin and Masson-Trikrom staining. RESULTS Normal tracheal and lung histological findings were observed in the control group. Mild mononuclear cell infiltration, alveolocapillary membrane thickening, alveolar edema, diffuse alveolar damage were determined in the acute and subacute groups. Diffuse hemorrhage, mononuclear cell infiltration, edema and vascular congestion were also found in the interstitium.All these findings were found to be over expressed with respect to acute and subacute groups. CONCLUSION Exposure to fried vegetable oils in the industrial area causes pulmonary inflammation in the early period. Inflammation becomes more severe as the duration of the exposure increases.