Abstract

The effect of ultrasound (480 W, 40 kHz) on the leaching of reducing sugars during the water soaking of potatoes slices (60, 70 and 80 degrees C-1, 8 and 15 min) was investigated to reduce the formation of acrylamide (AA) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) in potato chips. Ultrasound (US) influenced abruptly the reducing sugar leaching during the first 15 min, significantly increasing their extraction rate (glucose: 60%, fructose: 30%) at all evaluated temperatures. When potato slices were treated with US, the formation of AA (-95%) and 5-HMF (-96%) were reduced significantly after frying. Although AA content did not correlate with glucose and fructose concentrations, 5-HMF did (r2: 0.80 and 0.83, respectively), probably because reducing sugars are their main precursors. The AA and 5-HMF concentrations of potato chips presented good correlation coefficient (r2:0.76), suggesting the use of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural as an acrylamide indicator for potato chips.