Comparison between crude oil from L gabonensis and commercial fractions of palm oil (crude palm oil, oleic coloured fraction, oleic discoloured fraction and stearic fraction), relatively to their frying behaviour, has shown that L gabonensis oil is more stable at high temperature than palm oil fractions. Additionally, due to its higher content in unsaponifiable matter (8%), L gabonensis oil presents a potential interest in cosmetics. The behaviour of palm oil fractions at high temperature seems to be related to their fatty acid composition. When used in frying sweet potato slices, the absorption values of all the oils by potato chips are comparable (11-15%), though the stearic fraction of palm oil shows a relatively high absorption value (15%). Sensory evaluation of chips showed that chips fried in palm oil fractions are comparable among themselves and are preferred to those fried in I. gabonensis oil. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.