COLOR AND TEXTURE DEVELOPMENT OF POTATO CYLINDERS WITH LIQUID SMOKE DURING BAKING, FRYING AND MICROWAVING

The rate of color and texture development in partially fried before freezing potato cylinders processed by deep fat frying, microwaving and baking was determined. The effect of 0, 1, 3 or 5% wt/wt solution containing 30% liquid smoke was measured at intervals during thermal processing and the reaction order and rate determined. Also, five different wood and dextrose‐derived browning agents were compared at 1% wt/wt addition. The processing method had a significant effect on the reaction rates of color and texture development during processing. Microwaving was faster than frying, which was faster than baking. The addition of liquid smoke led to a significant increase in the rate of color production but had no statistically significant effect on texture. The addition of 1% liquid smoke increased the reaction rate by adding carbonyls, which limit the reaction rate in potatoes. Higher levels of liquid smoke did not change the reaction rate because the carbonyls were no longer limiting the reaction. The processing method and the addition of the browning agent had no effect on the reaction order which remained a pseudo zero‐order reaction. Thus, liquid smoke could be used to reduce processing times, potentially saving money and decreasing acrylamide formation.