STUDIES ON FRYING KINETICS AND QUALITY OF FRENCH FRIES

ABSTRACT

Effects of temperature of oil (160, 170 and 180° C) and duration of pre-drying (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 h) on the kinetics of moisture removal and oil uptake, and quality of French fries were studied. Frying times at each combination of temperature and pre-drying duration were standardized on the basis of sensory characteristics of the product in the preliminary trials. Results indicated that the rate of both moisture loss and oil uptake were higher in the beginning followed by a decrease in the later stages of frying. Mathematical models were developed to describe both the moisture removal and oil uptake by French fries. French fries prepared from potato fingers blanched in water for 4 min at 85° C and fried (without pre-drying) at 180° C were judged to be the most acceptable.     

Assessment of the Actual Performance of an Industrial Solar Kiln for Drying Timber

The aim of this study was to assess the actual performance of an instrumented industrial solar kiln for drying Australian hardwood timber (Eucalyptus pilularis) boards (270 × 43 mm). Ambient temperature and humidity, air temperature and humidity in the kiln, and wood moisture contents were recorded on site (Heron's Creek, NSW, Australia) using sensors and an electronic data acquisition and logging system. The average increases in air temperatures in the kiln compared with ambient conditions were 17.3°C (May-June), 13.8°C (July-August), 10°C (September-October), 8.2°C (November-March), and 7.5°C (March-May) for five runs monitored. Drying times were 2-4 months from initial moisture contents of 43 to 62% (dry-basis) to final moisture contents of 12 to 22%. Overall, the solar kiln has been shown to be an acceptable alternative to air-drying for pre-drying of Australian hardwood timber.     

Thermal Decomposition of Partially Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil During Repeated Frying Traditional and Fast French Fries

The aim of this study was to compare thermal degradation of oil, especially the composition of the polymer in a polar and nonpolar fraction of oil, used for repeated frying of fast and traditional French fries. The French fries were fried using the partially hydrogenated rapeseed oil. Fast French fries were characterized by a half shorter frying time compared to traditional ones. The frying process was done at 170 °C ± 5 °C in 5‐l electric fryers and carried out in 15‐min cycles for 48 hours. The content of thermal decomposition of triacylglycerol (TAG) in both fractions of oil was analyzed by high‐performance size‐exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). In all analyzed samples, thermal decomposition products were found. However, the composition of a polar and nonpolar fraction of oil was not the same. In a nonpolar fraction, only the monomers and hydrolysis products of TAG were observed. In a polar fraction, dimers, trimers, and oligomers of TAG were also found. The shorter time of frying the fast French fries resulted in a lower total and individual polymers content in all steps of analysis compared to the oil used for frying the traditional French fries.     

MODELING WATER LOSS DURING FRYING OF POTATO STRIPS: EFFECT OF SOLUTE IMPREGNATION

The effect of solute impregnation on water loss and oil uptake during potato strip frying was studied. Blanched potato strips were impregnated at 25°C by soaking in a solution of sucrose-NaCl-water, 20-5-75% by weight. After rinsing and air drying, strips were deep fried in sunflower oil at 160, 170 and 180°C. A control treatment, consisting of potato strips blanched but not soaked and later air dried was also conducted. Solute impregnation provided a decrease of the oil uptake. Two models, based on Fick's law were used to describe water loss during frying. The first one is the classic model with an effective moisture diffusion coefficient assumed a constant value. The second model considers that diffusion coefficient varies during the frying process. For a given frying temperature, constant diffusion coefficient for control potatoes resulted in lower values than the impregnated ones. The variable diffusivity model showed a two-stage behavior: during the first stage of frying, diffusion coefficient increased with frying temperatures, but from a given time on an inverse behavior began. This last fact was found to be related to an increase of the measured peak force needed to penetrate the potato crust.     

MASS TRANSFER AND DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT DETERMINATION IN THE WET AND DRY SALTING OF MEAT

Dehydrated salted meat is widely used in Brazil as a very important source of animal protein. The main objective of this kind of processing is water removal. initially by osmotic pressure changes and then by drying, resulting in a product with intermediate moisture levels.

In this work, mass transfer and salt diffusion in pieces of meat submitted to wet and dry salting were studied. Slabs of beef m. trapezius with an infinite plate geometry were salted in a NaCl saturated solution or in a dry salt bed, at two temperatures (10 and 20°C) and different time exposures (120 min and 96 hours). Equilibration studies were extended up to six days.

It was observed that water loss increased with salt uptake, for increasing periods of times. At 20°C the moisture loss was higher than it was at 10°C in both salting processes. On the other hand, the kinetics of salt uptake and moisture loss were of greater importance in the process of dry salting than in that of wet salting.

The salt diffusion coefficient for wet salting was 0.26 × 10^-10m²/s at20°C and 0.25 × 10^-10 m²/s at 10°C and for the dry salting the values were 19.37 × 10^-10 m²/s at 20°C and 17.21 × 10^-10 m²/s at 10°C.     

EFFECTS OF VARIOUS TREATMENTS ON THE DRYING KINETICS OF Muscatel GRAPES

The drying kinetics of Muscatel grapes at 60°C and a relative air humidity of 22% were determined after various pretreatments had been applied to the grapes. The pretreatment parameters varied were the chemical agent (potassium carbonate solution with or without olive oil, or sodium hydroxide solution); the duration of pretreatment; and the temperature and concentration of the solution. A 3 minute pretreatment with an aqueous solution of K₂CO₃ and olive oil at 60°C reduced drying time from about 80 h to 20 h. Optimal drying load corresponded to a single layer of almost close-packed grapes on each tray. The experimental drying kinetics were satisfactorily reproduced by a model in which both grape size and the effective coefficient of diffusion are functions of moisture content.     

Oxidative Stability and Changes in Chemical Composition of Extra Virgin Olive Oils After Short‐Term Deep‐Frying of French Fries

We aimed at investigating oxidative stability and changes in fatty acid and tocopherol composition of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in comparison with refined seed oils during short‐term deep‐frying of French fries, and changes in the composition of the French fries deep‐fried in EVOO. EVOO samples from Spain, Brazil, and Portugal, and refined seed oils of soybean and sunflower were studied. Oil samples were used for deep‐frying of French fries at 180 °C, for up to 75 min of successive frying. Tocopherol and fatty acid composition were determined in fresh and spent vegetable oils. Tocopherol, fatty acid, and volatile composition (by SPME–GC–MS) were also determined in French fries deep‐fried in EVOO. Oil oxidation was monitored by peroxide, acid, and p‐anisidine values, and by Rancimat after deep‐frying. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis was used as a proxy of the quality of the spent oils. EVOOs presented the lowest degree of oleic and linoleic acids losses, low formation of free fatty acids and carbonyl compounds, and were highly stable after deep‐frying. In addition, oleic acid, tocopherols, and flavor compounds were transferred from EVOO into the French fries. In conclusion, EVOOs were more stable than refined seed oils during short‐term deep‐frying of French fries and also contributed to enhance the nutritional value, and possibly improve the flavor, of the fries prepared in EVOO.     

Low oil content potato chips produced by infrared vacuum pre-drying and microwave-assisted vacuum frying

The effects of vacuum infrared radiation (VIR) pre-drying on the microwave-assisted vacuum frying (MVF) potato chips were investigated to study its possibility of decreasing the oil content of fried potato chips. The moisture evaporation, oil content, texture, color, surface temperature, shrinkage, and sensory analysis of fried products were evaluated. Results showed that the VIR pre-drying significantly reduced the oil content in MVF products, a decrease from 22.38 to 13.49?g oil/100?g dry solid. The application of VIR pre-drying accelerated the dehydration rate, and increased the mechanical breaking force measured with a texture analyzer with 20–30?min pre-drying. The VIR pre-drying resulted in an increase in the total color change and the shrinkage of MVF potato chips. The sensory analysis showed that the proper duration of VIR pre-drying would achieve a higher consumers’ acceptance. Comparing with the current industrial applications, vacuum frying, and atmospheric deep-fat frying, the combined VIR and MVF technology would be an alternative frying method for producing healthier fried products with less oil content and high quality.     

Drying of Garlic (Allium sativum) and Its Effect on Allicin Retention

Convective hot air-drying and freeze-drying were investigated as potential processes to preserve and concentrate allicin in garlic. Both temperature and air velocity had an important effect on hot air-drying kinetics. Sample size and temperature significantly affected the duration of freeze-drying, and thus the remaining moisture content of the garlic samples. Allicin content decreased with an increase of drying temperature in both convective hot air-drying or freeze-drying. Moderate air temperatures (40 and 50°C) allowed a better allicin retention than higher temperatures (60°C). However, retention of allicin was more important in garlic samples freeze-dried at a temperature of 20°C. The drying method did not show a significant impact on glass transition temperature values, indicating that garlic composition is a more important factor than internal structure. The predictions of the Gordon and Taylor model are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Heat and Mass Transfer During Fry-Drying of Sewage Sludge

Deep-frying, which consists of immersing a wet material in a large volume of hot oil, presents a process easily adaptable to dry rather than cook materials. A suitable material for drying is sewage sludge, which may be dried using recycled cooking oils (RCO) as frying oil. One advantage is that this prepares both materials for convenient disposal by incineration.

This study examines fry-drying of municipal sewage sludge using recycled cooking oil. The transport processes occurring during fry-drying were monitored through sample weight, temperature, and image analysis. Due to the thicker and wetter samples than the common fried foods, high residual moisture is observed in the sludge when the boiling front has reached the geometric center of the sample, suggesting that the operation is heat transfer controlled only during the first half of the process followed by the addition of other mechanisms that allow complete drying of the sample. A series of mechanisms comprising four stages (i.e., initial heating accompanied by a surface boiling onset, film vapor regime, transitional nucleate boiling, and bound water removal) is proposed. In order to study the effect of the operating conditions on the fry-drying kinetics, different oil temperatures (from 120 to 180°C), diameter (D = 15 to 25 mm), and initial moisture content of the sample (4.8 and 5.6 kg water·kg^-1 total dry solids) were investigated.     

Frying Quality Characteristics of French Fries Prepared in Refined Olive Oil and Palm Olein

The objective of this study was to compare two oils with different polyunsaturated/saturated (P/S) fatty acid ratios, refined olive oil (P/S 0.75) and palm olein (P/S 0.25), in frying French fries. The chemical qualities of the oil residues extracted from the French fries were assayed for five consecutive batches fried at 1-h intervals. The levels of total polar compounds, free fatty acids, p-anisidine value and phytosterol oxidation products (POPs) were elevated in French fries fried in both oils. The level of total polar compounds increased from 4.6 in fresh refined olive oil to 7.3% in final batches of French fries. The corresponding figures for palm olein were 9.8–13.8%. The level of free fatty acid in fresh refined olive oil increased from 0.06 to 0.11% in final products. These figures for palm olein were 0.04–0.13%. The p-anisidine value increased from 3.7 to 32.8 and 2.5 to 53.4 in fresh oils and in final batches of French fries in refined olive oil and palm olein, respectively. The total amount of POPs in fresh refined olive oil increased from 5.1 to 9.6 μg/g oil in final products. These figures were 1.9 to 5.3 μg/g oil for palm olein.     

DEEP FAT FRYING OF POTATO STRIPS—QUALITY ISSUES

Moisture loss and oil adsorption kinetics, structural properties (apparent density, true density, specific volume and internal porosity), color changes and viscoelastic behavior (compression tests, crispness) were investigated during deep fat frying of french fries. The effect of frying conditions (oil temperature, sample thickness and oil type), drying pretreatment and osmotic dehydration pretreatment on the above properties was also examined. The results showed that oil temperature and thickness of potato strips have a significant effect on oil uptake, moisture loss and color parameters of french fries, while the use of hydrogenated oil in the frying medium does not affect these properties. The porosity of french fries increases with oil temperature increases and sample thickness and it is higher for products fried with hydrogenated oil. Maximum stress and maximum strain increase during frying, while crispness of potato strips is higher for hydrogenated oil, and lower for refined oil. Air drying and osmotic pretreatment increase porosity of fried potatoes but decrease their oil and moisture content. A negative effect on color development with drying time was also observed. Pre-fry drying as well as osmotic pre-treatment increases the maximum stress and maximum strain of french fries during frying. Air drying pre-treatment increases the crispness of potato strips while osmotic pre-treatment does not affect it, with the exception of sugar solutions.     

DEEP FAT FRYING OF POTATO STRIPS—QUALITY ISSUES

Moisture loss and oil adsorption kinetics, structural properties (apparent density, true density, specific volume and internal porosity), color changes and viscoelastic behavior (compression tests, crispness) were investigated during deep fat frying of french fries. The effect of frying conditions (oil temperature, sample thickness and oil type), drying pretreatment and osmotic dehydration pretreatment on the above properties was also examined. The results showed that oil temperature and thickness of potato strips have a significant effect on oil uptake, moisture loss and color parameters of french fries, while the use of hydrogenated oil in the frying medium does not affect these properties. The porosity of french fries increases with oil temperature increases and sample thickness and it is higher for products fried with hydrogenated oil. Maximum stress and maximum strain increase during frying, while crispness of potato strips is higher for hydrogenated oil, and lower for refined oil. Air drying and osmotic pretreatment increase porosity of fried potatoes but decrease their oil and moisture content. A negative effect on color development with drying time was also observed. Pre-fry drying as well as osmotic pre-treatment increases the maximum stress and maximum strain of french fries during frying. Air drying pre-treatment increases the crispness of potato strips while osmotic pre-treatment does not affect it, with the exception of sugar solutions.     

Oil production from algal cells of Dunaliella tertiolecta by direct thermochemical liquefaction

Algal cells of Dunaliella tertiolecta with a moisture content of 78.4 wt% were converted directly into oil by thermochemical liquefaction at around 300°C and 10 MPa. The oil yield was about 37% on an organic basis. The oil obtained at a reaction temperature of 340°C and holding time of 60 min had a viscosity of 150–330 mPas and a calorific value of 36 kJ g⁻¹, comparable to those of fuel oil.     

Influence of temperature on the hydrogenation of Australian Loy-Yang brown coal. 1. Oxygen removal from coal and product distribution

A study is made of the composition of the solid, liquid and gaseous fractions produced by hydrogenation of Australian Loy-Yang brown coal at temperatures ranging from 300 to 500 °C. The high oxygen content of the coal (25.5 wt%) is not found to result in a proportionally higher hydrogen consumption when compared to previously published results for a coal with approximately half the oxygen content. Oxygen is found to be removed from the coal mainly as carbon dioxide and water, most probably by decarboxylation and dehydration reactions. At temperatures up to ≈400 °C hydrogen is consumed almost solely by transference from the solvent tetralin to the coal. By this temperature both the maximum degree of conversion and the maximum oil yield are reached. The heavy oil fraction at 400 °C is composed mainly of asphaltenes and preasphaltenes. Above 400 °C hydrogen is consumed from both solvent and gas. A major part of this appears to be involved in the stabilization of decomposition products from the tetralin. The yield of pentane-soluble material is relatively constant up to 450 °C, however, at higher temperatures conversion of asphaltenes and preasphaltenes to pentane-solubles occurs in conjunction with gasification to C₁–C₃ hydrocarbons. Despite the fact hydrogen consumption and oxygen removal both increase with rising hydrogenation temperature, the H/C atomic ratio for the three heavy oil fractions decreases over the same range.     

Thermal conductivity of AlN ceramics sintered with CaF2 and YF3

Dense AlN ceramics with a thermal conductivity of 180W/m·K were obtained at the sintering temperature of 1750 °C using CaF₂ and YF₃ as additives. At temperatures below 1650 °C, the shrinkage of AlN ceramics is promoted by liquid (Ca,Y)F₂ and Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₂F₂. Liquid CaYAlO₄ mainly improves the densification of the sample when the sintering temperature increases to 1750 °C. The formation of liquid (Ca,Y)F₂ at a relatively low temperature results in homogeneous YF₃ distribution around the AlN particles, which benefits the removal of oxygen impurity in the AlN lattice, and thus a higher thermal conductivity.     

高温油炸薄薯片过程中油的吸收和水分流失间的特性关系

Thin potato crisps (2mm) were fried at 170℃, 180℃ and 190℃ for various times from 10s to 180s inclusive. It was found that definite oil uptake, moisture loss trends exist during the frying process. No significant difference in the oil uptake or moisture loss rates between flat-cut and ridge-cut crisps exists. Also found in this study was that an increased oil temperature promoted higher moisture loss rates. In turn, the higher moisture loss rates contributed to a higher oil uptake rate. It was found, based on the volumetric plots of oil content vs. water content, that the oil uptake rate was proportional to the moisture loss rate. As a result, it has been shown that there is a possibility of having a characteristic curve of oil uptake against moisture content.     

Factors affecting the concentration of acrylamide during deep‐fat frying of potatoes

The paper describes the effect of different factors influencing the concentration of acrylamide in deep‐fat fried potato products. In French fries the amount of acrylamide increased with the temperature as well as the frying time, especially at temperatures higher than 175 °C. The increase of acrylamide with the time followed a linear function, whereas a non‐linear relationship was given with the temperature of frying. As a result, a reduction of the processing temperature led to lower concentrations of acrylamide in the product. Both, oil type and silicon oil as antifoaming agents had no significant influence upon the acrylamide concentration in the food. The variety of potatoes had a strong effect on the acrylamide concentration in potato crisps and French fries. The investigation showed a significant correlation (r = 0.73) between the concentration of acrylamide and reducing sugars in raw potatoes, and no significant correlation with the asparagine concentration. The storage temperature of the raw material had an effect on the acrylamide concentration in the product. Lowering of the storage temperature from 8 to 4 °C resulted in an increase of the concentration of reducing sugars in the raw material, which led to a higher potential of acrylamide formation in the products. The experiments showed that the acrylamide concentration of French fries depended on the surface‐to‐volume ratio (SVR).     

Effects of frying on the trans‐fatty acid formation in soybean oils

To evaluate the effects of repeated deep‐frying on the trans‐fatty acid (TFA) formation in soybean oils, simultaneous frying experiments were carried out. French fries were prepared using three different types of soybean oil (pressed soybean oil, PSBO; first‐grade solvent extracted soybean oil, FG‐SESBO; and third‐grade solvent extracted soybean oil, TG‐SESBO). French fries were fried intermittently at 180–185°C for a total frying time of 32 h and at an interval time of 30 min. It was found that the initial amount of total TFAs was 0.29 g/100 g, 0.31 g/100 g, and 0.90 g/100 g in PSBO, TG‐SESBO, and FG‐SESBO, respectively. Before the frying started, the C18:1,t‐9, trans‐linoleic acid (TLA), trans‐linolenic acid (TLNA), and total TFA content of the PSBO and TG‐SESBO were significantly lower than in the FG‐SESBO (p<0.05). However, in the frying oil samples, the final concentration of total TFA in the PSBO, TG‐SESBO, and FG‐SESBO were 1.79 ± 0.17 g/100 g, 1.12 ± 0.10 g/100 g, and 1.70 ± 0.07 g/100 g, which was 6.17‐, 3.61‐, and 1.89‐fold higher that in fresh oil, respectively. The highest increasing slopes of C18:1,t‐9, TLA, TLNA, and total TFA were observed in the PSBO. Practical applications : A high intake of TFAs has been shown to lead to an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Plant oils, particularly soybean oil, have been widely used in the food industry in China. Frying is one of the most common methods to cook food. The formation of TFAs during frying has been shown to be closely related to the temperature and duration of the frying process. However, the effects of frying on the formation of TFAs in different soybean oils have not been well studied. In the present study, we demonstrated that increasing the number of frying cycles can cause an intensive increase in the concentration of TFAs in different types of soybean oil, but especially in PSBO.     

Removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solutions by using clinoptilolite and bentonite as adsorbents

In the present study, the ability of natural zeolite clinoptilolite and bentonite (clay) to remove Pb(II) from aqueous solutions has been investigated in batch reactors with a maximum contact time of 120 min. Adsorption tests of Pb(II) were carried out using a solution concentration of 1,036 ppm at initial pH = 4, and solid to liquid ratio of 2 g/100 mL. The effects of agitation speed (0, 100, 200, 500 rpm), temperature (28°C, 45°C, 60°C) and particle size (2.5–5.0 mm, dust) of the minerals were examined. The effect of acidity of the aqueous solution was also examined. Bentonite was found to be more effective for the removal of Pb(II) than clinoptilolite, under the experimental conditions used. The removal of Pb(II) using bentonite reached 100% at ambient temperature and mild agitation (100 rpm), while it was approximately 90% at 60°C without agitation. On the other hand, the highest removal level reached by clinoptilolite was 55%. Clinoptilolite dust is found to be more efficient than granular clinoptilolite. Agitation and temperature affected the uptake of Pb(II), especially in the case of granular clinoptilolite (2.5–5.0 mm). Finally, it can be seen that acidity of the aqueous solution influences the removal of lead by the minerals. The adsorption of lead increases with an increase in pH of the solution from 1 to 4.