Oil Uptake by Potato Chips or French Fries: A Review

Abstract

The increase in obesity and fat‐related diseases pose a major health issue especially in developed countries. Over the past years, consumer demand for low‐fat potato chips and French fries has stimulated the scientific work on the issue of fat uptake during frying. The main objective of this review article is to summarize the latest efforts to reduce the oil absorption without deteriorating the organoleptic characteristics, precisely explain the mechanism, frying medium quality, and selection, different parameters involved in oil absorption and to address problems of the potato chips industry. Major oil uptake reduction techniques described in literature are use of different frying methods, coating with a hydrocolloid and use of pretreatments before frying process.Practical Application: High oil uptake in fried food is a cause of concern and people are getting health conscious day by day. So, this review article may help the potato chips industry to produce potato chips with low oil content. Furthermore, it will serve as a guidance document for industry to save some of the costs incurred in purchase of frying oil, which tend to be an expensive commodity.The relationship between frying and health risks emphasized the need to work on oil uptake reduction strategies. This review article provides a guidance for consumer and potato products industries about various oil uptake mechanisms, frying medium selection criteria, lowering strategies for oil absorption, and addresses various issues related to the potato chips industry.