KINETICS OF DEEP-FAT-FRYING OF POTATO AND OPTIMIZATION OF PROCESS VARIABLES

Effects of deep-fat-frying time, temperature and thickness of potato s lices on oil absorption. moisture content and colour of chips have bee n studied. The loss of reducing sugars was found to have an average di ffusivity of 5.06 x 10(-9)m2/s in case of blanching of 1.5 and 2 mm th ick slices in boiling water. Colour development followed first order r eaction kinetics with a Q10 value of 1.39 and 52.27 kJ/kg mole activat ion energy. Multiple regression equations were developed for moisture, oil and colour values in the final product as a function of frying ti me, oil temperature and thickness of slice. Use of linear programming technique yielded 220-222 sec frying time, 145-146-degrees-C oil tempe rature and 2 mm thickness of slice as optimum parameters.