Comparison of flavor compounds of potato chips fried in palmolein and silicone fluid

The importance of the frying oil as a heat-transfer medium and as a source of flavor precursors for the formation of potato chip flavor was investigat ed. Potato slices were fried in palmolein or silicone fluid, and the volati le flavor compounds of the resulting chips were isolated onto Tenax and ana lyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Although the heat-transfer c oefficients of the oils did not differ significantly, their temperature pro files during frying were different, probably due to greater turbulence on p lacing potato slices in palmolein, leading to more efficient heat transfer. Levels of Strecker aldehydes and sulfides in chips fried in the two media were not significantly different, but levels of pyrazines were significantl y higher in palmolein-fried chips. Amounts of 2,4-decadienal were also sign ificantly higher in palmolein-fried chips, but there was no significant dif ference in hexanal levels between the samples.