Processing conditions influencing the physical properties of French fried potatoes

Achieving optimal colour and texture in French fries requires careful control of the unit operations that convert the raw potatoes into fries. The effects of variation in blanching, drying and finish frying conditions on puncture properties (peak force and peak deformation) and Hunterlab L (lightness) values of French fries were investigated. Fries blanched by low-temperature long-time (LTLT) conditions had larger peak force, peak deformation and L value than fries processed by standard conditions. High-temperature short-time (HTST) blanching increased lightness but decreased peak force and peak deformation. For drying, the colour and textural quality of French fries processed by standard conditions were better than those processed by the drying alternatives. For finish frying, LTLT conditions increased peak force whereas HTST conditions increased lightness. Therefore, a compromise has to be made in processing conditions to optimise both colour and textural quality. Even after finish frying, compositional differences within potato tubers influenced texture, both between and within French fries.