MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF AN IMMERSION FRIED POTATO STARCH‐GLUTEN GEL DURING POSTFRYING PERIOD

Abstract

ABSTRACTMoisture profiles in fried samples of potato starch with different gluten contents were determined during postfrying storage. Over time, moisture migrated from the core to the crust of the sample, and the moisture content of the crust region increased. The addition of gluten caused a significant increase in oil uptake in the crust. The initial hardness of the crust significantly decreased as the gluten content increased to 10 and 30%, during the first 30 min of storage. With longer storage time (> 240 min), the crust hardness tended to increase, due to an increase in firmness of the starch sample. This behavior was less pronounced for samples with 10 and 30% gluten. The range of linear viscoelastic behavior (up to 14% strain) was determined from the initial linear zone of the stress‐strain curves. Stress relaxation tests were performed in the linear and nonlinear viscoelastic regions, with a strain level of 5% and 40%, respectively. According to stress relaxation curves, samples became less elastic with the addition of gluten and more elastic with the time of storage.