Radio-Frequency Drying Gashes Acrylamide Levels In Potato Chips

By Sam Lewis

A new study finds carcinogen levels plummet when radio-frequency is used in drying partially fried potato chips

A study published in the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture has revealed big progress in reducing acrylamide — a possible carcinogen known to form in heated carbohydrate-rich food such as potato chips.

The Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture published research from two Turkish universities that discovered frying slices of potatoes in hot oil — in this experiment, temperatures never exceeded 212 degrees Fahrenheit — followed by a radio-frequency (RF) drying technique restricted the formation of acrylamide. By selectively heating the remaining moisture from the frying process, researchers found acrylamide levels dropped 32 percent in chips fried for 80 seconds, and 26 percent in chips fried for 95 seconds.

Subsequently, the process led to a 12 percent reduction in oil content of the final potato chip. “Avoiding temperature increase at the product’s dry surface during post-drying due to the selective heating characteristic of RF energy was responsible for this reduction,” the study reads. Additionally, in both samples, no acrylamide was created while RF was used in drying. The research says a more controlled heating of potato slices is able to be attained with RF drying.

The acrylamide reduction process through RF drying seemed to have very little effect on the final product’s quality. “RF post-drying resulted in lower hardness and less browning with no significant difference in terms of crispiness when compared to the control process,” reads the study. The research also says all traits — color, flavor, odor, and overall liking — were on par with control samples and “equally liked by the panelists.”

Hot air drying, vacuum drying, and microwave-vacuum drying are all methods that have been applied in acrylamide reduction experiments. However, very few studies utilizing RF drying to reduce acrylamide have been performed. The results, at least thus far, seem promising. “The results demonstrate that RF post-processing may be an effective strategy for minimizing acrylamide levels of potato chips without adversely affective quality attributes,” the study concludes.

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