Abstract

Reduction of acrylamide formation in potato chips was investigated in relation to frying temperature and three treatments before frying. Potato slices (Tivoli variety, diameter: 37mm, width: 2.2mm) were fried at 150°C, 170°C and 190°C until reaching moisture contents of ?1.7g water/100g (total basis). Prior to frying, potato slices were treated in one of the following ways: (i) soaked in distilled water for 0min (control), 40min and 90min; (ii) blanched in hot water at six different time-temperature combinations (50°C for 30 and 70min; 70°C for 8 and 40min; 90°C for 2 and 9min); (iii) immersed in citric acid solutions of different concentrations (10 and 20g/l) for half an hour. Glucose and asparagine concentration was determined in potato slices before frying, whereas acrylamide content was determined in the resultant fried potato chips. Glucose content decreased in ?32% in potato slices soaked 90min in distilled water. Soaked slices showed on average a reduction of acrylamide formation of 27%, 38% and 20% at 150°C, 170°C and 190°C, respectively, when they were compared against the control. Blanching reduced on average 76% and 68% of the glucose and asparagine content compared to the control. Potato slices blanched at 50°C for 70min surprisingly had a very low acrylamide content (28?m/kg) even when they were fried at 190°C. Potato immersion in citric acid solutions of 10 and 20g/l reduced acrylamide formation by almost 70% for slices fried at 150°C. For the three pre-treatments studied, acrylamide formation increased dramatically as the frying temperature increased from 150°C to 190°C. © 2004 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.