Application of Vacuum Frying as a Furan and Acrylamide Mitigation Technology in Potato Chips

Consumers like fried snacks, and taste, color, and texture are key aspects in their preference. However, during frying of foods some toxic compounds, such as furan and acrylamide, are produced. The objective of this work was to mitigate furan and acrylamide formation in potato chips, without affecting their main quality attributes, by using vacuum frying. To accomplish this purpose, potato slices were fried at atmospheric (P_abs 29.92 inHg) and vacuum conditions (P_abs 3.00 inHg), using equivalent thermal driving forces (T_{water boiling point} − T_oil = 50, 60, or 70 °C). Furan and acrylamide concentration, oil content, and texture of both atmospheric and vacuum-fried samples were determined. Vacuum-fried potato chips showed reductions of about 81, 58, and 28% of furan, acrylamide, and oil content, respectively, when compared to their atmospheric counterparts. Additionally, the texture was not affected (p > 0.05) by changes in the pressure during frying. Results clearly showed that vacuum frying is an effective technology for furan and acrylamide mitigation in potato chips, since it reduces the content of both contaminants and preserves the quality attributes of fried snacks.