Effects of frying parameters on physical changes of tapioca chips during deep‐fat frying

Abstract

The interrelationships of the effects of frying time, oil temperature, and initial moisture content on moisture loss, oil absorption, and linear expansion of a tapioca starch chip half‐product during deep‐fat frying have been studied. Both oil absorption and linear expansion were affected, in different ways, by moisture loss. Oil absorption was essentially a quantitative water replacement process. On the other hand, linear expansion occurred as a result of rapid vaporization of water in the initial stages of frying, but reached a plateau before maximum moisture loss. Critical frying times, temperatures, and initial moisture contents, below which virtually no physical change occurred, were observed. The optimum set of frying parameters for maximum linear expansion appears to be a frying time of 40 s, an oil temperature of 200°C, and an initial moisture content of 15% (dry basis).