Sunflower oil with E900 anti-foam: the complete guide for professional frying

Why does frying oil foam? Understanding the phenomenon

Every foodservice professional has seen it: fresh frying oil heats cleanly, without foam or splashing. But after a few hours of use, especially when frozen or moist foods are plunged in, the oil starts to foam, overflow and splash. This dangerous and costly phenomenon has a precise cause.

When oil heats to high temperatures (160–200°C), it degrades through oxidation and hydrolysis. The free fatty acids produced by this degradation act as natural surfactants — they lower the oil's surface tension and promote the formation of stable bubbles. The slightest water vapour (from food) or air bubble then triggers intense foaming. Beyond the danger to kitchen staff (burns from splashing), foaming accelerates oil degradation and reduces its usable lifespan.

What is E900 (polydimethylsiloxane)?

E900, whose full chemical name is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), is a silicone polymer — a long molecular chain composed of silicon, oxygen and methyl groups. It is also known as dimethylpolysiloxane, dimethicone or food-grade silicone oil.

In the food industry, it is classified as a food additive antifoaming agent and listed in the Codex Alimentarius under code E900. Its mechanism is straightforward: PDMS molecules insert themselves at the oil-air interface and mechanically destabilise bubbles before they can form stable foam. Result: the oil remains clean, calm and splash-free even with moist or frozen foods.

European regulation — What the law says

• Maximum permitted dose in oils and fats for frying: 10 mg/kg of oil — the standard limit applicable in virtually all food uses.
• Exception for chewing gum: up to 100 mg/kg permitted.
• Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI): 0 to 1.5 mg per kg of body weight per day — approximately 90 mg/day for a 60 kg adult — a threshold very comfortably met under normal usage conditions.
• Organic status: E900 is excluded from organic food certification — certified organic frying oils cannot contain this additive.

Sunflower oil with E900: the professional frying reference

1. Optimal fatty acid profile for frying

Refined sunflower oil is very rich in oleic acid (omega-9) in its High Oleic version (≥80% oleic acid) or in linoleic acid in its standard version. High Oleic is particularly heat-stable — its high smoke point (≈230°C) and oxidation resistance make it the ideal oil for intensive frying.

2. Refined, deodorised, dehydrated

Professional sunflower oil with E900 is systematically refined (removal of impurities, phospholipids, free fatty acids), deodorised (taste and odour neutrality — no flavour transfer to fried foods) and dehydrated (removal of residual water that promotes high-temperature degradation).

3. E900 multiplies fryer lifespan

By limiting foaming, E900 reduces oxidation through air-oil contact and allows the oil to withstand longer frying cycles without significant degradation. In practice, sunflower oil with E900 can be used 40 to 60% longer than oil without the additive under the same conditions — a direct cost saving on kitchen materials.

4. Kitchen safety

Less foam = fewer splashes = lower risk of burns and fire. In high-volume professional kitchens (fast food, catering, snacking), this is an operational safety argument that alone justifies using oil with E900.

Professional packaging available

• 5L plastic jerrycan — practical for small restaurants and snack bars with low frying volume.
• 10L plastic jerrycan — the most widely used intermediate format in catering and pizzerias.
• 20L plastic jerrycan — large restaurant and fast-food format with high volume. Best price-per-litre ratio.
• 200L drum or 1000L IBC — for central kitchens, food manufacturers and high-volume catering operators (school canteens, hospitals, care homes). Tank truck delivery available on request.

How to choose between oil with or without E900?

Martigane: your professional sunflower oil supplier

Martigane SAS sources sunflower oil directly from producers and refiners in Ukraine, Argentina and Hungary — the three main world origins. Our professional sunflower oil is available in standard and E900 anti-foam versions, in all formats from 5L jerrycans to 200L drums or 1000L IBCs. All lots are accompanied by technical data sheets and regulatory documentation (E900 content certified ≤10 mg/kg). Since the 2022 Ukrainian sunflower crisis, we systematically maintain dual sourcing to guarantee supply continuity for our clients.