Color Development in a Model System During Frying: Role of Individual Amino Acids and Sugars

The color of fried potato products is limited by reducing sugars, but can be affected by free amino acids. Filter paper discs saturated with solutions of amino acids in combination with glucose, fructose and sucrose were fried in oil to investigate color formation. Four phases of color development were identified; equilibrium, lag, rapid and slow phase, corresponding to the water content of the system. Lysine, 7-aminobutyric acid and glycine produced most color and glutamic acid least. Fry color of glucose and fructose systems was very similar, but sucrose systems produced less color. Glucose and fructose systems were not affected by pH changes, but there was a slight effect on sucrose systems.