Soaking in a NaCl solution produce paler potato chips

Abstract

Pairs of potato slices were blanched, soaked in a NaCl solution or water and fried. The originally adjoining faces of the chips were analysed for average L*a*b* color by digital photography and image analysis.

Stepwise increases in blanching temperature (60, 65, 70, 75, 80 degrees C/5 min) gave rise to gradually darker chips above 65 degrees C, by a total of 9L* units (P = 0.001). Slices soaked after blanching in a 3% NaCl solution for 5 min were consistently paler by 5L* units (P = 0.0054) than those soaked in water only.

Change in the concentration range 0.6-9% NaCl was found using one-tailed paired t-test, subsequent to blanching at 70 degrees C/5 min (P = 0.0125). (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology.