Overview
The background colour on your Cooking Oil Tester (TPM) gives you an at-a-glance verdict on your frying oil, based on the TPM % it reads. The best part is that your team does not need to remember a number — they can simply act on the colour. Green means the oil is fine, amber means it is getting close to its limit, and red means it is time to change it. This makes it easy for any staff member to check oil quality consistently, even during a busy service.
How It Works
The tester turns red once the oil reaches a set TPM limit. Many food-safety standards put this limit around 24–25% TPM, but the exact figure varies by country, so you should always follow your local food-safety requirement or your venue's own policy. If your tester is set to a specific limit, the colours will change at that point.
Key Things to Know
Green — oil is in good condition, keep using it.
Amber — oil is approaching its limit, plan to change it soon.
Red — oil has reached its limit, change it.
Always take a second reading to confirm a red result before you change the oil.
Make sure the oil was between 40°C and 200°C and the probe was clean and at the right depth — poor technique can push the colour up wrongly (see How to take an accurate TPM reading with the Cooking Oil Tester).