Optimization of Vacuum Microwave Predrying and Vacuum Frying Conditions to Produce Fried Potato Chips

The effects of vacuum microwave predrying and vacuum frying conditions on the quality of vacuum-fried potato chips were studied. Both the moisture content and oil content of potato chips decreased with increasing vacuum microwave predrying time. During vacuum frying, the moisture content of potato chips decreased with increasing frying temperature and time, while the oil content increased. Statistical analysis with response surface regression showed that the moisture content, oil content, and breaking force of potato chips were significantly (P<0.05) correlated with vacuum microwave predrying time, frying temperature, and frying time. Based on surface responses and contour plots, optimum conditions were vacuum microwave predrying time of 8–9 min, vacuum frying temperature of 108–110°C, and vacuum frying time of 20–21 min.     

Effect of Microwave-Assisted Vacuum Frying on the Quality of Potato Chips

We investigated the applicability of microwave-assisted vacuum frying in producing potato chips. Three microwave power levels (600, 800, 1000 W) were used for frying times of up to 360 s. The moisture loss and oil uptake histories were measured as a function of the microwave power levels. The textural crispness (breaking force) and color parameters (lightness, redness, and yellowness) were also measured as a function of microwave power levels and frying time. The application of microwave-assisted vacuum frying significantly increased the moisture evaporation and oil uptake rates in potato chips. At the same time, the amount of oil uptake was similar to that in vacuum-fried chips not assisted by microwave. The chips produced using microwave-assisted vacuum frying were crispier (lower breaking force), visually appealing, and could be produced in a shorter time.     

Vacuum Frying of Desalted Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) Fillets

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of vacuum frying on the product quality of desalted grass carp fillets. Parameters of included moisture content, oil content, color values, and textures (hardness, chewiness, and springiness) were used to evaluate the product quality. Results showed that with increasing vacuum frying temperature and time, the moisture content of fillets decreased while the oil content increased, and hardness increased quickly. The hardness and chewiness values of vacuum-fried samples were both higher than those of atmospheric fried samples. However, there was no significant change in L* among four different temperature/vacuum-frying combinations. The results also indicated that vacuum frying at 0.08 MPa and 100°C–110°C for 15 min can produce crisp grass carp fillets with lower moisture and oil contents as well as good color and texture quality.     

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.     

Vacuum Frying of Carrot Chips

Abstract

Vacuum frying is an alternative method to produce high quality vegetable or fruit chips. The effect of frying temperature and vacuum degree on moisture content, oil content, color, and texture of fried carrot chips were investigated. During the early stage of vacuum frying, the rate of moisture removal and oil absorption increased with increasing frying oil temperature and degree of vacuum. Statistical analysis of the color data showed that there were no significant differences P > 0.05) in lightness (L), redness (a), and yellowness (b) of carrot chips as a function of vacuum degree and temperature. The breaking force of carrot chips decreased with increasing frying temperature and vacuum degree. The statistical analysis also showed that there were no significant differences P < 0.05) in the breaking force as a function of temperature, but the breaking force was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the vacuum degree.     

Effect of Vacuum-Microwave Predrying on Quality of Vacuum-Fried Potato Chips

The effects of vacuum microwave predrying on the quality of vacuum-fried potato chips were studied. The results showed that vacuum microwave predrying had a significant effect on moisture and oil contents, as well as color parameters and structure of potato chips. Vacuum microwave predrying significantly decreased the oil and moisture contents of vacuum-fried potato chips. The rates of both mass transfer phenomena (water loss and oil uptake) that take place during the vacuum frying of potato chips decrease due to the vacuum microwave predrying. The vacuum microwave predrying had a negative effect on color of potato chips, which decreases the L value of potato chips and increases Hunter a and b values. Breaking force of fried potato chips is also significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the drying pretreatment, which decreases the breaking force at the beginning of predrying and then increases with vacuum microwave predrying time.     

Storage Stability of Carrot Chips

Water activity combined with the glass transition temperature can be used to predict the shelf life of foods. Water sorption isotherms and glass transition as a function of moisture content were determined for carrot chips after vacuum frying. The GAB model was fitted to the measured sorption data while the Gordon Taylor equation was used to model the water plasticization effect. The critical moisture content and the critical water activity at which the glass transition occurs were obtained at selected storage temperatures. The changes in moisture content, fat content, water activity, breaking force, β-carotene content, ascorbic acid, and acid value of vacuum-fried carrot chip at selected storage temperatures (0, 10, 25°C) during a 6-month storage period were investigated. The estimated shelf life of carrot chip, defined by the degradation time of the acid value at different storage conditions, was determined.     

胡萝卜真空油炸脱水工艺和优化研究

研究了不同预处理条件哒展油炸温度、真空度、时间对胡萝卜脆片品质的影响。通过响应面分析可知：油炸温度、真空度以及时间显著影响胡萝卜片中水分与脂肪含量以及脆度（P≤0．05）;其最佳油炸工艺为温度100℃-110℃、真空度0．08—0．09MPa、时间15min。     

Influence of Combined Hot Air Impingement and Infrared Drying on Drying Kinetics and Physical Properties of Potato Chips

Air jet impingement combined with infrared drying (IMIRD) was developed as an alternative processing method to produce health-friendly potato chips in place of conventional deep-fat frying. This article investigates the effects of IMIRD compared to air jet impingement drying alone (IMD) and conventional convective drying (CCVD) on potato being processed as potato chips in term of drying characteristics, quality attributes (shrinkage, color, and hardness), and specific energy consumption (SEC) of the dryer. The experiments were carried out at three different air velocities (5, 10, 15 m/s) and infrared intensities (0.16, 0.27, and 0.33 W/cm²) at a fixed air temperature of 85°C. The experimental results show that the drying air velocity and infrared intensity had a significant effect on the moisture removal from potato slices. IMIRD, compared to IMD and CCVD, provided a higher drying rate, less shrinkage, lower hardness, and less color deterioration. An increase in air velocity at each infrared intensity caused a decrease in the total SEC value.     

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

ABSTRACT

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.     

Pore Development and Moisture Transfer in Chicken Meat during Deep-Fat Frying

Abstract

Changes in the structure of food products play important role in the various mass transfer processes during deep-fat frying. The relationship between moisture loss and pore formation were investigated at frying oil temperatures of 170, 180, and 190°C and frying times up to 900 s. Porosity and pore structure were characterized by using mercury intrusion porosimetry and helium displacement pycnometer. Moisture transfer in the samples was modeled using Fick's law and effective moisture diffusivity was computed from experimental data. Pore formation changes significantly (P < 0.01) in time as modulated by frying oil temperature. A peak pore fraction of 0.283 (after 360 s of frying), 0.238 and 0.220 (after 900 s of frying) at frying temperatures 190, 180 and 170°C, respectively was observed. Effective moisture diffusivity of 5.4 to 6.9 × 10^?9 m² s^?1 and activation energy of 20 kJ/mol was obtained for the frying oil temperatures. Changes in pore structure influenced moisture diffusivity and oil uptake. Eighty-four percent of the pores are capillary pores, hence moisture transfer increased.     

预处理工艺对真空油炸脱水马铃薯脆片品质的影响

通过热烫、冷冻、渗透液处理等预处理技术对真空油炸马铃薯脆片品质影响作了比较;综合各指标分析,得出了马铃薯脆片真空油炸的较佳预处理工艺。实验结果表明,冷冻参数对油炸马铃薯脆片水分质量分数不存在主要影响,热烫温度是主要影响因素;渗透组的马铃薯脆片,随着渗透浓度的增加,其水分质量分数逐渐减少。冷冻参数对油炸马铃薯脆片脂肪质量分数影响也不大;热烫时间较短的马铃薯脆片油炸后脂肪质量分数较高,热烫时间较长的马铃薯脆片油炸后脂肪质量分数较低。热烫温度75℃、时间6min的脂肪质量分数最低;渗透浓度越高,马铃薯脆片油炸后脂肪质量分数越低。     

Relationship Between Oil Uptake and Water Content During Deep-Fat Frying of Potato Particulates Under Isothermal Temperature

The purpose of this study is to correlate water content and oil uptake with the structural changes of potato particulates during deep-fat frying. Raw potato particulates were sliced to form cylinders of 0.006 m diameter × 0.006 m length and subjected to deep-fat frying at isothermal oil temperatures of 160, 190 and 220 °C. The microstructure properties were assessed using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Previous results showed that a simultaneous two first-order kinetic model adequately predicted water loss of potato particulates during isothermal frying. In this study, a simple rational model with two parameters in which regression squared (Rsqr) reaches 0.983 shows that oil uptake can be expressed by water content. The cross-sectional structure of potato particulates observed using FESEM is different from the surface structure. Regardless of the frying temperature, pores not only become larger but also increase in number after the transition time. The observations of structural changes at the surface and inner section of potato particulates through the pictures of FESEM are critical. This physical evidence supports our previous assumption that the mechanisms of water loss (two-stage rate processes) before and after transition time are different.     

Isolation of Volatiles from Oak Wood (Quercus alba) by a Thermomechanical Process: Screening of some Processing Parameters

Experiments were performed to evaluate an extraction process developed in our laboratory called the instantaneous controlled pressure drop process (“Détente Instantanée Contrôlée” or (DIC)) for extracting volatile compounds from oak wood. This process involves subjecting oak chips for a short time (10 s to 12 min) under a steam pressure (1 to 6 bars or from 100 to 165°C). This first step is followed by a rapid decompression toward vacuum (up to 50 mbar). Some parameters were evaluated: steam pressure level, processing time, initial moisture content, chips thickness and velocity of the rapid decompression. A preliminary experimental design allowed optimizing the processing pressure and processing time: 6 bar and 5 minutes. Under these conditions, the optimal conditions were as follows: 20% for initial moisture content, 0.5 mm for the chips thickness. The number of decompressions towards vacuum was also investigated and it appeared that extraction yield can be enhanced by repeating the decompressions cycles for a same processing time. Moreover, GC-MS analysis indicated that DIC extract included the same molecules that obtained by steam distillation with almost the same percentages.     

Optimizing Drying Conditions for Microwave-Vacuum (MIVAC®) Drying of Russet Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)

MIVAC® combines microwave heating with vacuum drying. Microwave power is modulated based upon product temperature and can limit overheating compared to other microwave-vacuum methods. Blanched potatoes were dried at 50, 60, and 70°C for 0 to 150 min. Potatoes dried at 70°C had a lower moisture content in less time compared to potatoes dried at 50 and 60°C, but the color of the dehydrated potatoes was affected due to overheating. Drying at 60°C for 150 min resulted in dried potatoes with acceptable color. Drying at 50°C resulted in dehydrated potatoes of acceptable color; however, it required more time.     

A Mathematical Model for Vacuum Far-Infrared Drying of Potato Slices

A mathematical model of mass and heat transfer for vacuum far-infrared drying of potato slices is introduced in this study on the basis of energy and diffusion equations. The finite difference method is used to mathematically simulate the sample temperature and moisture content in different drying conditions. Calculated results are compared with the experimental findings at varying conditions of heater temperature (120°C, 140°C, and 160°C), chamber pressure (1500, 8000, and 15000 Pa), sample thickness (0.004, 0.006, and 0.008 m), and radiation distance (0.08, 0.12, and 0.16 m). Comparison results show that the model fits well the changes in sample temperature and moisture content at different times of drying, with the values of the coefficient of determination close to 1.0 and the relative error values less than 10%.     

Pressure Effect on Deep Fat Frying of Apple Chips

Predicting moisture loss is important when developing a model for vacuum frying, because one of its objectives is to remove food moisture. A diffusion model was considered to describe moisture transfer during vacuum frying. Granny Smith apple slabs were processed at 16.6, 13.3, and 8 kPa and between 80 and 120°C. Moisture diffusivity was determined, obtaining a close fit between the model and the experimental data. Diffusivity increased with temperature and decreased when pressure increased. A direct proportionality between heat and mass transfer was observed. Temperature influence was interpreted by the Arrhenius relationship and there was no observed effect of pressure on the activation energy.     

Effect of Drying Conditions on Moisture Re-Adsorption Performance of Dewatered Lignite

In order to improve the drying efficiency of lignite and restrain the moisture re-adsorption of dewatered coal, the drying characteristics of typical Chinese lignite, the re-adsorption performances of dewatered samples and the change in pore structure throughout the entire processes were investigated in this study. Lignite samples with four different particle size fractions were dried in a fixed-bed reactor in the temperature range 60–160°C. The re-adsorbing moisture behaviors of dewatered coal samples containing different water contents were investigated at temperatures of 20–40°C and humidities of 55–95%. The changes in the pore structure of raw coal and different dried samples were measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and the relations between their re-adsorption performance and change in pore structure were explored. The moisture removal yields of lignite increased with an increase in drying time and temperature and was close to 100% above 120°C and over 100% after holding 40 and 15 min at temperatures of 140 and 160°C due to the release of CO₂ from the decomposing carboxyl group in the coal matrix. The re-adsorbed moisture content in dewatered coal was influenced by drying temperature and coal particle size through varying pore structure. The temperature and relative humidity in the re-adsorbing process were the main factors that influenced the moisture re-adsorption capacity of dewatered lignite, in which the re-adsorbing temperature mainly operated by varying the bonding ability of water on the surface of dewatered coal, and the relative humidity was connected with the pore structure as well. The mesopore was the main factor that influenced the re-adsorption of dewatered coal and the re-adsorption of moisture in dewatered coal at 100°C was highest due to the narrow range of the pore radius and because the relative volume ratio of 5 to 50 nm mesopore (above 91%) was high. The water loss yield of lignite with smaller particle size was higher due to its larger pore volume and surface area, but its re-adsorption capacity was lower because of lower volume ratio of 5 to 50 nm mesopore volume in dewatered coal obtained from the smaller size lignite.     

Microwave,Vacuum, and Air Drying Characteristics of Collard Leaves

Collard leaves (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) with an initial moisture content of 6.65 on percentage dry basis (%db) were dried by three different drying methods: microwave, air, and vacuum. Samples of fresh leaves, 25 g each, were dried until their moisture was down to 0.1 on a dry basis. The following drying levels were used in each of the drying processes: 350, 500, 650, 750, 850, and 1000 W for microwave drying; 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, and 175°C for air drying; and 0.4, 50, and 100 mmHg at 50 and 75°C for vacuum drying, respectively. Drying times ranged between 2.5 to 7.5 min, 8 to 210 min, and 35 to 195 min for microwave, air, and vacuum drying, respectively. The data obtained compared well with a thin-layer drying model. Microwave drying at 750 W provided optimal results with respect to drying time, color, and ascorbic acid content (vitamin C).     

Oxidative Stability in Bulk Oil Containing Carbohydrates Such as Glucose,Sucrose, Maltose,Mannitol, and Starch

Effects of carbohydrates including glucose, sucrose, maltose, mannitol, and starch on the oxidative stability of corn oils were evaluated at 40 °C for 51 days, at 100 °C for 17 h, and at 180 °C for 90 min. The degree of oxidation was determined by headspace oxygen content, conjugated dienoic acid (CDA) assay, or p-anisidine value (p-AV) and the moisture content of the oils was analyzed. Starch showed pro-oxidant properties whereas mannitol acted as an antioxidant at all tested temperatures. However, glucose, sucrose, and maltose showed different properties depending on the temperature and type of assays. At 40 °C, glucose, sucrose, and maltose showed antioxidant properties in headspace oxygen and CDA assays. There were no significant differences in CDA between samples at 100 and 180 °C. p-AV in samples containing glucose were significantly higher than those in controls at 180 °C, which may be due to the formation of volatiles from caramelization rather than lipid oxidation. Moisture content of oils containing glucose and starch was significantly higher than that of controls, whereas that of oils containing mannitol was lower than in the control (p < 0.05). Changes in moisture content of oils may be due to the migration of moisture from added carbohydrates into the oils.