Enzymes improve quality of French fries
Jul. 2008
Using pectolytic and hemicellulytic enzymes to change the microstructure of potato cells in French fries improves the quality of the finished product, suggests research from Novozymes.
The research, published in the Elsevier journal Food chemistry, offer an innovation route for French fry producers to create lower fat products without affecting the texture of the fry, said the researchers.
“French fries manufacturers are interested in reducing the fat content of the product because of the high prices of oil and quality requirements of the consumers, who prefer low-fat French fries of high sensory value and with the flavor and aroma of freshly baked potato, uniform color, crispy texture of the skin and good flesh.” Said the authors.
Authors on this article from Agriculture University of Wrocaw in Poland, in collaboration with Novozymes, looked at the effect of using a crude enzyme preparation from Aspergillus aculeatus containing pectolytic and hemicellulytic activities (Pectinex Ultra SP-L Novozymes A/S) on the microstructure of Innowator and Santana potato varieties, the most common cultivars used for French fries production in Central Europe.
Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the researchers report that the enzymes worked by destroying the cell wall of the potato cells.
Destruction of the cell structure caused by enzymes suppressed penetration of fat into the internal portion of French fries, immediately after they had been taken out of the frying oil.
This preliminary research by Novozymes and its collaborators suggests that enzymes have significant potential for the production of French fries with reduced fat content that may be readily accepted by consumers increasingly conscious of the nutritional profile of foods.
