Total polar compounds (TPC) are widely recognized as a composite indicator of frying oil quality across global food systems. In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has recently established a regulatory critical limit of 25% TPC, marking a significant advancement in providing clear, evidence-based guidance for oil discard practices. Despite this progress, implementation challenges remain, particularly within small-scale food service operations. This research proposes an integrated approach combining field observations with literature synthesis to evaluate TPC measurement practices, underlying formation chemistry, regulatory frameworks, and real-world application barriers in Indian contexts. The study includes in-situ TPC monitoring during commercial vadai frying, alongside a comprehensive review of TPC formation mechanisms—oxidation, hydrolysis, and polymerization—as well as measurement techniques ranging from laboratory-based chromatography to portable dielectric devices, and a comparison of international standards with India’s regulatory threshold. Preliminary field data indicate TPC values between 17.5% and 19.0% during a single frying cycle, remaining below the FSSAI limit, while literature highlights strong oil-type dependency, with polyunsaturated oils degrading more rapidly than saturated counterparts. Portable devices, though practical, exhibit measurement uncertainty (±2–5%), whereas laboratory chromatography, despite higher accuracy, is not feasible for routine field use. Key barriers to effective implementation include high device costs (₹10,000–50,000), limited operator training, lack of calibration standardization, variability across oil types, and the absence of integrated quality assessment parameters beyond TPC. The proposed research aims to generate evidence-based, stakeholder-specific recommendations and practical implementation frameworks, while identifying priority research gaps for validating TPC-based monitoring across diverse Indian oils and food products, thereby contributing to strengthened food safety governance and enhanced consumer protection.