Effects of Lean Peanut Flour Coating on Oil Absorption and Organoleptic Characteristics of Potato Chips

Use of edible coatings is one of the most important methods to decrease absorption of oils in frying foods. In this study, effects of oral coating on oil reduction, acid number, peroxide number, texture brittleness and sensory characteristics of potato chips were investigated using fat peanut flour with plasticizer sorbitol.

Potato slices with a thickness of 1.5 mm were dipped in an oral solution of lean peanut flour with sorbitol using immersion method. Effects of coating on moisture changes, oil reduction, texture brittleness and sensory characteristics of the chips were investigated and then acid number and peroxide number of the samples were assessed at Weeks 0, 4, 6 and 8 of the storage.

Results showed that the concentration of lean peanut flour and sorbitol was an effective and important factor in characteristics of chips such as moisture retention and decreased oil absorption. Samples coated with solution prepared from 6% by volume of lean peanut flour and 60% sorbitol by weight of lean peanut flour included the highest moisture content and the lowest oil absorption (p < 0.05). Moreover, coating significantly decreased the peroxide and acid numbers during storage (p < 0.05). Therefore, the lowest values were observed after eight weeks of storage in samples coated with a solution of 6% by volume of lean peanut flour and 60% sorbitol by weight of lean peanut flour.

Coating of the chips caused decreases in the absorption of oil regarding organoleptic characteristics of the products, similar to that no coating of the chips did. Therefore, use of lean peanut flour coating improves nutritional values and sensory and health characteristics of the fried food products.