Development of low-fat gluten and starch fried matrices with high fiber content

Low-fat and high dietary-fiber diets are important elements in the prevention of chronic diseases. The objective of this work was to understand the effect of wheat bran inclusion in large amounts to a gluten–starch matrix, in structure formation and associated quality attributes, during deep-fat frying. Matrices were prepared mixing 12 g of gluten and 88 g of wheat starch per 100 g of dry solids, ensuring a moisture content of 40 g water/100 g dough. Starch was gradually replaced by wheat bran (up to 40 g/100 g dry solids), and lack of structure formation was overcome by partially replacing starch with pregelatinized corn starch. Samples were fried at 170 °C and oil absorption in high fiber products was reduced through post-frying centrifugation. Pregelatinized corn starch addition allowed obtaining an adequate structure in formulations with high wheat bran content, reducing oil absorption by 35% in formulations with up to 20 g wheat bran/100 g dry solids. It was possible to obtain a low-fat product (70% reduction) with high fiber content (40 g/100 g dry solids) after centrifugation, confirming the importance of oil absorption during post-frying cooling.     

Suitability of contact angle measurement as an index of overall oil degradation and oil uptake during frying

The aim of the work was to investigate the suitability of contact angle measurement as an index of overall oil degradation phenomena and oil uptake of French fries during frying. In order to measure the contact angle, an image analysis method was developed and applied to four vegetable oils (palm oil, palm super olein, sunflower oil and a blend of hazelnut and high-oleic sunflower oil) in actual frying experiments. With liquid oils, contact angle modification proved to be a sound index of overall oil degradation, being inversely correlated with oil acidity, peroxide value, total carbonyl compounds, K₂₃₂, and viscosity. A significant correlation between contact angle and potato oil uptake was found for sunflower oil. For the other oils, factors such as the structure of food subjected to frying or the oil melting point and viscosity seem to be important in influencing oil uptake.     

Mitigating effect of amaranth (Amarantus hypochondriacus) protein on acrylamide formation in foods

The effect of addition of amaranth flour and amaranth protein isolate to both a glucose/asparagine model system and real foods (cookies, fried tortilla chips, and baked tortilla chips) was studied to analyse the acrylamide mitigating potential of this underexploited plant with attractive nutraceutical properties. Addition of amaranth flour, with a relatively low protein content (16.45%), did not mitigate acrylamide in either the model system or the studied foods. On the contrary, addition of amaranth protein isolate decreased acrylamide content by 35–40% in the model system, 89% in cookies, 51% in fried tortilla chips, and 62% in baked tortilla chips. This acrylamide reduction was obtained without change in the colour or the texture of the cookies. On the contrary, colour remained unchanged in tortilla chips, but the addition of amaranth protein isolate increased the hardness (16–36%) of the produced tortillas. Although a much more detailed sensory evaluation of cookies and tortilla chips prepared using amaranth protein isolate is needed, the above results suggest that the use of amaranth protein may be an interesting way to both mitigate acrylamide formation and improve nutritional properties of foods.     

Modeling deep-fat frying for control of acrylamide reaction in plantain

This paper discusses the possibility of controlling acrylamide formation/elimination reactions in plantain during frying. A 2D model including heat and vapor transfer and acrylamide reactions was developed. The model was validated against experimental data, consisting of the plantain core temperature and average water and acrylamide contents. Validations were made on two different typical plantain-based foods, i.e. “tajadas” (thick product) and “tostones” (thin product), in which the acrylamide contents were found to be 0.24 and 0.44 mg kg⁻¹ (fat-free dry basis), respectively. The simulations highlighted that non-isothermal heat treatment is a good strategy to reduce the acrylamide content (up to 50% reduction). However, controlling the asparagine content in the raw material through maturity stage selection or by implementing immersion pretreatments is an easier way to mitigate the acrylamide net amount in plantain products.     

Effect of repeated frying on the viscosity, density and dynamic interfacial tension of palm and olive oil

The effect of deep-fat frying on the viscosity, density and dynamic interfacial tension (against air and water) of palm oil and olive oil was investigated. Repeated frying (up to 40 batches) at two different potato-to-oil ratios (1/7, 1/35 kg_potatoes/L_oil) was examined. Results were compared to those from simple heating the oils at the same temperatures. Viscosity increased during repeated frying for both oils. However, only palm oil viscosity was sensitive to potato-to-oil ratio. Due to the novelty of dynamic interfacial characterization of such systems a discussion was made about the appropriate timescales and deformation types for interfacial measurements. Significant effects of repeated frying on the dynamic interfacial tension at the oil/water interface were observed. Contrarily, changes in density were not significant. Results were assessed with respect to the evolving chemical profile of the oils determined in previous works. Possible implications of the determined properties on the frying process were discussed.     

Aldehydes contained in edible oils of a very different nature after prolonged heating at frying temperature: Presence of toxic oxygenated α,β unsaturated aldehydes

The evolution of the abundance of the different types of aldehydes, including those that are genotoxic and cytotoxic, oxygenated α,β unsaturated, in the headspace of extra virgin olive, sunflower and virgin linseed oils, submitted to frying temperature for prolonged periods of time, in a discontinuous industrial fryer, was analysed. Very close relationships were found between the abundance of the aldehydes in the three oils at a certain heating time and the original oil composition in the main components. The equations that related these parameters, which can be used for predictive purposes, show not only which acyl group each aldehyde comes from, but also its quantitative influence. This is the first time that the presence of 4-oxo-(E)-2-decenal, and 4-oxo-(E)-2-undecenal have been detected, not only in frying oils, but also in foods. Furthermore, the concentration of aldehydes such as 4-hydroxy-(E)-2-nonenal, (E)-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, 4-hydroxy-(E)-2-hexenal, and 4-oxo-(E)-2-nonenal have been determined simultaneously for the first time in these edible oils submitted to frying temperature. The fact that significant concentrations of these toxic compounds were found in some oils before the oil reached 25% of the polar compounds is a cause of concern for human health.     

Soaking in a NaCl solution produce paler potato chips

Pairs of potato slices were blanched, soaked in a NaCl solution or water and fried. The originally adjoining faces of the chips were analysed for average L^*a^*b^* color by digital photography and image analysis.Stepwise increases in blanching temperature (60, 65, 70, 75, 80 °C/5 min) gave rise to gradually darker chips above 65 °C, by a total of 9L^* units (P=0.001). Slices soaked after blanching in a 3% NaCl solution for 5 min were consistently paler by 5L^* units (P=0.0054) than those soaked in water only.Change in the concentration range 0.6-9% NaCl was found using one-tailed paired t-test, subsequent to blanching at 70 °C/5 min (P=0.0125).     

Modelling of energy flows in potato crisp frying processes

Food frying is very energy intensive and in industrial potato crisp production lines frying is responsible for more than 90% of the total energy consumption of the process. This paper considers the energy flows in crisp frying using a First Law of Thermodynamics modelling approach which was verified against data from a potato crisp production line. The results indicate that for the frying process considered, most of the energy used is associated with the evaporation of water present in the potato and on the surface of potato slices. The remainder is from evaporation of frying oil and air of the ventilation system and heat losses from the fryer wall surfaces by convection and radiation. The frying oil is heated by an industrial gas furnace and the efficiency of this process was calculated to be 84%. The efficiency of the overall frying process which was found to be of the order of 70% can be improved by employing exhaust heat recovery and optimising other operating and control parameters such as exhaust gas recirculation.     

Optimisation of lipase-catalysed interesterification reaction for modulating rheological and heat transfer properties of frying oil

The present work reports the optimisation of enzyme interesterification reaction of rice bran oil (RBO) and refined, bleached, deodorized, palm olein (RBDPO) blend using immobilized 1,3-specific lipase, to improve the kinematic viscosity and heat transfer coefficient of oil, important for characterising heat transfer during the frying process. Four variables, namely RBO (20–80%) in RBO–RBDPO blend, reaction temperature (25–65 °C), enzyme concentration (1–13%, w/w) and reaction time (1–13 h) were selected and optimised using response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with central composite rotatable design (CCRD). The optimisation results predicted that optimum reaction conditions for preparing enzyme interesterified oil, having minimum kinematic viscosity (2.63 × 10⁻⁶ m² s⁻¹) and maximum heat transfer coefficient (262.0 Wm⁻² °C⁻¹) were at 62% RBO, temperature 65 °C, enzyme concentration 10% (w/w) and time 6.4 h. The predicted values were validated experimentally and corroborated with DSC melting profile and triacylglycerol molecular species data. This investigation could help snack food industries to develop suitable oils for frying operations.     

Effects of frying temperature,pressure and time on gelatinisation of sago flour as compared to wheat and rice flour in fried coating

This study was conducted to determine the gelatinisation properties of coating with sago flour compared with wheat and rice as influenced by frying temperature, pressure and time. Chicken nuggets were immersed in sago, rice or wheat flour batters and fried at temperatures of 150, 165 and 180 °C and under pressures of 102 and 156 kPa for 0, 6, 18 and 30 s. Results showed that T_o of coatings from sago flour ranged from 71.8 to 74.7 °C. T_o of coatings from wheat flour ranged from 58.2 to 61.2 °C, while that of coatings from rice flour ranged from 77.9 to 78.6 °C. Except for a few combinations, frying temperature and pressure used did not have any significant effects on onset (T_o), peak (T_p) and end (T_e) temperatures. Except for a few combinations, degree of gelatinisation of coatings from sago flour was not influenced by frying temperature and pressure similar to coatings from rice and wheat flour.