If you’re cooking tonight, a new study suggests reaching for an air fryer could be better for indoor air quality. Researchers from the University of Birmingham found that even when cooking fatty foods, air fryers produce far fewer air-pollution particles than shallow or deep frying.
The team analysed 12 popular foods—including potato smileys, onion rings, and sausages—and measured particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) released during cooking. Air frying consistently produced lower levels of these emissions.
However, the benefits depend on keeping the air fryer clean. “Repeated use without thorough cleaning can negate some of the air-quality advantages,” explained Professor Christian Pfrang, lead author of the study.
Air fryers cook food by circulating hot air with little or no added oil, resulting in lower fat content compared to traditional frying methods. Previous research had shown that lean foods like chicken breast produce fewer pollutants in air fryers, and this new study confirms the trend for high-fat foods as well.
Foods such as onion rings and bacon still emit more particles than lean foods, but deep frying these same items produces 10 to 100 times more VOCs. First author Ruijie Tang noted that “even high-fat foods cooked in an air fryer produce only a fraction of the emissions seen in shallow or deep frying.”
The researchers also found that older, uncleaned air fryers emit significantly more pollutants. Air fryers used more than 70 times showed 23% higher VOC levels and over twice as many PM particles than clean trays.
The team recommends regular cleaning and proper ventilation to maximise the environmental and health benefits of air frying. Their findings are published in the American Chemical Society journal ES&T Air.
