SYDNEY: Groupe SEB Australia has finally announced the launch of its innovative Tefal ActiFry fryer that uses minimal oil to fry foods, including chips, by utilising circulating hot air and a special sweeping paddle in the cooking process.

Chips cooked in the ActiFry appliance contain just three per cent fat compared with nine per cent in a conventional oven, 13 per cent in a microwave and 14 per cent in a standard deep fryer, according to Groupe SEB.

The Tefal ActiFry (RRP $349.95) can cook up to one kilogram of all types of food including fries, seafood, vegetables and chicken drumsticks. It can use any type of oil and has a ‘Set and Forget’ cooking which requires no preheating, and it has a 60 minute timer with alarm. The transparent lid, the non-stick bowl and the central paddle are all dishwasher safe.

According to Tefal, the patented ActiFry was 10 years in the making and has a special dosing spoon that enables consumers to measure the correct amount of oil that is required for a meal. Consumers then place the food inside the non-stick pan, pour the oil over the food and press start. Hot air then circulates inside ActiFry and the central paddle turns the food to ensure the oil is uniformly spread and the food is evenly cooked.

“We are very excited with the launch of ActiFry,” said Groupe SEB marketing manager, Filiz Bensan.

“The response from consumers has been amazing. We demonstrated ActiFry at the Sydney Good Food and Wine Show last weekend and the response was overwhelming. We cooked a wide variety of meals and consumers really appreciated the cooking results as well as the versatility of ActiFry. The feedback was very positive and we are confident that this product is going to do very well.”

Bensan said that the ActiFry addresses two concerns with modern lifestyles — the lack of time and the increasing rates of obesity.

“Modern day lifestyles often mean less physical activity, rather chaotic eating habits and sometimes even an unbalanced diet,” said Bensan. “Most of us use too much fat and oils in our cooking and prefer quick and easy processed foods to freshly cooked meals.

“With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that obesity rates have reached an all time high in Australia. A recent study of obesity rates in Australia has shown that 26 per cent of adults are now obese, that is, almost four million people,” said Bensan.

The Tefal ActiFry will be sold with a complementary recipe book that covers a variety of different meals including desserts.