| Abstract: | The antioxidative effect of unsaponifiable matter from olive oil deodorizer distillate on the stability of sunflower oil during frying and on the quality of potato chips were studied. Physical and chemical characteristics of sunflower oil samples with or without different concentrations of unsaponifiable matter were examined during frying at 180°C for ten consecutive days. The addition of 1% of unsaponifiable matter to sunflower oil showed the highest effect in retarding the oxidation deterioration of oil during frying of potato chips. This protective effect was attributed to high levels of squalene, Δ-avenasterol, and tocopherols. During ten frying days, the amount of squalene decreased to 79% and both tocopherols and Δ-avenasterol to 69% in frying sunflower oil. Oil absorbed by potato chips and the characteristics of the oil extracted from potato chips before and after three months of storage were determined. The amount of oil absorbed by potato chips ranged from 37.3 to 39.3% during frying. The unsaponifiable fractions remaining in the frying medium showed protective effects on the rate of oxidation of the oil extracted from potato chips. The uptake of unsaponifiable matter by chips was the highest during the first frying day. Chips with high amounts of squalene, tocopherols, and sterols showed highest antioxidative stability during storage for three months at ambient temperature. Potato chips fried in sunflower oil treated with 1% unsaponifiable matter showed a bright yellow colour, moderate crispness, high score flavour, and were well accepted by panelists. These data of sensory evaluation supported the results of chemical analyses of oil extracted from fresh and stored chips. |
