Effect of Propolis Coating on Oil Uptake and Quality Properties of Fried Potato (Solanum tuberosum) Strips

The use of edible coatings is a suitable method to reduce oil uptake in fried foods. In this research, the effects of propolis gum on the physicochemical properties of fried potato strip were evaluated. The propolis coating was performed at three concentrations 1%, 1.5%, 2% w/v. Potato strips were dipped in the coating solutions followed by air drying. Viscosity of coating was measured in two shear rate 0.048 and 62.11 1/s. The treatments were fried in canola oil and analyzed for fat uptake and moisture retention. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used and mean comparison was performed by Duncan’s new multiple range test. The results showed that by increasing in shear rate, viscosity of coating was decreased. By increasing in propolis concentration, the coating pick up, moisture content, frying yield, were increased while oil uptake were decreased. According to the results, 2% concentration propolis gum reduced oil absorption in fried potato strips. Due to their facility to use, propolis gum suggested for coating and usage in industrial potato fries production.

Computer Simulation with a Temperature-Step Frying Approach to Mitigate Acrylamide Formation in French Fries

A heat and mass-transfer model coupled with reaction kinetics was developed to simulate frying. Obtaining an accurate mathematical model of the Maillard reaction and the heat and mass transfer is crucial for predicting the transient acrylamide formation, temperature, and water content in French fries. The objective of this study was to mitigate the formation of acrylamide in a potato strip by adopting a temperature step frying approach (TSFA). A considerable increase in the water content and a decrease in the temperature and acrylamide formation were observed in a potato strip fried with the TSFA compared with a potato strip fried without the TSFA process. The acrylamide content in a potato strip when fried using the TSFA decreased considerably to 57% of that in a potato strip fried without using the TSFA. Simulation of the acrylamide distribution in a potato strip revealed that the crust contains the highest amount of acrylamide. The proposed model can be successfully used to obtain high-quality products, mitigate acrylamide formation, and save energy.