How to Reduce Recirculated Cooking Odours in a Food Court Tenant Space

When a food court tenancy uses recirculated or partially recirculated air, cooking odours can travel further than the kitchen itself. That can become a problem for adjoining tenancies, common areas, and customer comfort, especially when the fit-out has limited space for duct changes or major plant upgrades.

The good news is that there are practical tenant-level filtration measures that can help reduce odour spill. In many cases, the best result comes from matching the filter type to the cooking process, the airflow arrangement, and the available fan capacity rather than simply choosing the highest-rated filter you can fit.

Why recirculated air makes odour control harder

In a typical food court tenancy, some air may be recirculated back into the space to support comfort cooling. If cooking emissions are not captured close to the source, airborne grease, fine particles, and odour-carrying compounds can build up in the return air path and spread through the tenancy and beyond.

That means odour control is not just a kitchen exhaust issue. It also depends on what happens in the supply and return air systems, and whether the air handling unit is set up to remove airborne contamination before it is sent back into occupied areas.

A few common reasons odours become noticeable outside the tenancy include:

• •grease and smoke particles bypassing or overloading the existing filters
• •filters that are too coarse for the cooking load
• •poor sealing around filter frames, allowing air to bypass the media
• •high humidity or heavy cooking peaks that shorten filter life
• •return air systems that recirculate odour-laden air without enough capture upstream

If you are planning a tenancy fit-out or looking at an upgrade, it is worth checking the mechanical design against the site’s requirements and the relevant ventilation approach in AS 1668.2:2024 with the mechanical services engineer or building owner.

Start with source capture, then add the right filtration

The most effective way to reduce odour spill is to capture contaminants as close to the cooking source as possible. Filtration alone cannot solve a poor hood design or an undersized exhaust path, but it can significantly improve air quality in the recirculation stream when it is selected properly.

For tenant-level systems, consider the following approach:

• •use effective local exhaust over fryers, grills, combi ovens, or other odour-producing equipment
• •make sure the hood and ductwork are clean and operating as intended
• •place suitable filters upstream of the recirculation path so particles are removed before air re-enters the space
• •check that the filter housing seals properly to limit bypass leakage
• •confirm the fan can still move the required air once the chosen filters are installed

If the system is partially recirculated, the filtration stage becomes even more important because some of the air that would otherwise leave the tenancy is being reused inside it. In these arrangements, a filter with better particle capture than a basic dust filter is often needed to reduce visible emissions and the greasy film that can carry odour.

Filter types that are commonly used in food court tenancies

The right filter depends on the cooking style, the airflow rate, and the space available for the filter frame. There is no single answer for every tenancy, but these are the options most often considered.

Coarse pre-filters

Coarse filters are usually the first stage in a multi-stage setup. They are helpful for catching larger dust and lint, and they can protect finer downstream filters from loading too quickly.

They are rarely enough on their own for odour control in a cooking tenancy, but they can be valuable where grease mist and airborne debris are present.

Medium filters

Medium-grade filters are often used where the system needs better particle capture without a large pressure increase. In some recirculation applications, they can be paired with a deeper second stage to improve overall performance.

This kind of setup is often more practical than trying to force a single very fine filter into a system that was not designed for it.

Fine filters and multi-stage filtration

If the tenancy has enough fan capacity and filter space, a staged arrangement can be more effective for odour-related particle control. A coarse pre-filter followed by a finer final filter can help trap the smaller airborne particles that carry cooking emissions through the system.

Where the system design allows it, this staged approach may provide a better balance between capture and airflow than relying on a single filter panel.

If you are comparing product options, our our products page is a good place to start, and if the system uses a non-standard size, custom air filters may be the better fit.

What to look for when choosing a tenant-level filter

Not every filter that fits in the frame will suit a food court tenancy. The details matter, especially where odour spill is the concern.

Focus on these practical points:

• •Airflow resistance: a denser filter may capture more particles, but if it restricts airflow too much the system may not perform as intended
• •Seal quality: leakage around the edges can let untreated air bypass the media
• •Filter depth and surface area: more media area can help manage loading in tighter spaces
• •Dust and grease loading: cooking environments can load filters faster than general office or retail spaces
• •Access for maintenance: if the filter is hard to inspect or replace, it often gets neglected
• •Suitability for the housing: the filter must match the actual frame dimensions, not just a nominal size

If you are unsure of the size, how to measure an air filter explains the practical approach to measuring the existing filter correctly before ordering replacements.

Maintenance matters as much as the filter itself

Even a good filter will lose effectiveness if it is overloaded, damaged, or installed poorly. In food court environments, inspection frequency depends on the system, site conditions and dust load. Follow the filter and equipment manufacturer instructions, and monitor pressure drop where gauges are fitted.

A sensible maintenance routine usually includes:

• •checking the filter frame for gaps, warping or damaged seals
• •looking for grease staining or visible dust loading on the media
• •verifying that doors, clips and access panels close properly
• •recording pressure drop readings if the system has gauges
• •replacing or servicing filters when the system indicates they are at end of serviceable condition

Some filters are designed to be washable - check the product instructions before cleaning and reusing them. Others are intended to be replaced rather than cleaned, and using them outside their design can reduce performance.

If you manage multiple tenancies, a regular inspection program through filter servicing or commercial filter servicing can help keep the system consistent across sites.

When to involve the building team or mechanical engineer

Tenant-level filtration can make a real difference, but it should sit within the broader building design. If the odour issue persists after improving filtration, the cause may be related to duct leakage, poor air balance, inadequate exhaust capture, or an air handling setup that is not suited to the tenancy.

It is worth involving the mechanical services engineer or building owner when:

• •the tenancy is part of a shared air system
• •the fan struggles after a higher-resistance filter is installed
• •odours are escaping despite clean, correctly fitted filters
• •the existing housing does not allow a practical filter upgrade
• •the tenant is planning a menu change that increases cooking emissions

In some cases, the answer is not just a better filter but a better combination of hood capture, filtration stage, and airflow control.

Talk to Total Air Filtration

Total Air Filtration is a family-owned air filter manufacturer and supplier in Hillcrest, Brisbane QLD, established in 2009. We can help supply or make the right filters for food court tenant spaces, including standard and custom sizes suited to the system you already have.

If you need help choosing a practical filtration setup for recirculated or partially recirculated air, call 07 3800 3448 or request a quote. You can also contact us to discuss the tenancy, the filter housing, and the air handling layout before ordering.