Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

Tests on the fire properties of cooking fats used for deep frying have shown that when a cooking fat of any kind is overheated without food added, the spontaneous ignition temperature and the fire point are reached when the temperature is increased to about 310-360C. There is, therefore, an immediate danger of fire at temperatures above about 310C. There is also no substantial difference in the fire hazard of different fats, nor does the repeated use of the fat increase the fire hazard. Liquid fat at cooking temperatures, (205C) is unlikely to catch fire if the fat passes through a flame, but can ignite on surfaces at or above dull red heat. Such surfaces may be presented by solid electric plates and they are almost certain to be presented by radiant electric plates during cooking. The substantial interval between the maximum cooking temperature and the temperature at which there is an imminent fire hazard, indicates that the presence of a suitable thermostatic control on cookers would greatly reduce the risk of dangerous overheating.