ASCORBYL PALMITATE AS AN ANTIOXIDANT FOR DEEP FAT FRYING OF POTATO CHIPS IN PEANUT OIL

The antioxidative properties of ascorbyl palmitate (AP) alone and in combination with other known antioxidants were investigated during deep fat frying of potato chips in peanut oil. Their effect on the quality of the frying oil and shelf-life of the fried product were studied. The other antioxidants tested were butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and propyl gallate (PG). The characteristics evaluated for the frying oil were color development, viscosity, peroxide value (PV) and polymerization of the oil during deep fat frying; AP was found to reduce these values. It also helped to prevent the degradation of the oil by retaining the unaltered triacylglycerols during the frying period. Addition of AP to the frying oil reduced the PV of the extracted fat, doubled the shelf-life of the fried product and improved the quality of frying oil with increase in frying time. However, AP did not show any synergistic effect with other antioxidants examined.