DEVELOPMENT OF FROZEN-FRIED YAM SLICES: OPTIMIZATION OF THE PROCESSING CONDITIONS

in African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development (2012), 12(7), 7055-7071

The research performed on yam processing mainly concerns the production of crisps and flour. However, its transformation into deep-frozen French fries does not necessitate any other equipment than those ... [more ▼]

The research performed on yam processing mainly concerns the production of crisps and flour. However, its transformation into deep-frozen French fries does not necessitate any other equipment than those used for potatoes. The industrial process of production of frozen French fries traditionally includes a pre-frying step. These steps contribute to the development of color and crispness, and the oil partially absorbed inhibits dehydration during the freezing step. The aim of this study was to optimize frying conditions of deep-frozen fried yam (Dioscorea cayenensis var Kponan) slices. The effect of pre-frying time and temperature, final frying time and temperature on the oil uptake, texture, dry matter and colour of the fried yam slices has been studied. Frying conditions optimized with Box-Behnken experimental design were short pre-frying and frying conditions at high temperature characterized by pre-frying temperature at 157-170°C during 5-9s and frying temperature at 181-188°C for 2min 15s-2min 30s; or long pre-frying and frying conditions at low temperature characterized by pre-frying temperature at 150-158°C during 10-15s and frying temperature 170-177°C for 3-3min 15s. An adiabatic system was also developed by means of an insulator in which the core temperature of fried yam slices can be maintained constant at about 55°C after 15min of cooling, facilitating texture measurements at constant temperature. The present results may help in choosing the yam slices frying condition to be applied in order to achieve the desirable fried yam slices quality, required for protection against certain diseases like obesity. These models may also provide guidance as to how to control these quality parameters by altering four key environmental factors, pre-frying temperature and time and, final frying temperature and time. This process can also be commercialized and does not necessitate any other cost for equipment than those used for potatoes French fries and might be an interesting way of added value processing for this highly perishable yam tuber. [less ▲]

INFLUENCE OF SOLUBLE POLYSACCHARIDE ON THE ADHERENCE OF PARTICULATE SOILS

Conference (2011, June)

The removal of particulate soils from solid surfaces is the key process of cleaning many industrial devices, such as heat exchangers and spray dryers (food and pharmaceutical sector), and may be ... [more ▼]

The removal of particulate soils from solid surfaces is the key process of cleaning many industrial devices, such as heat exchangers and spray dryers (food and pharmaceutical sector), and may be influenced by the presence of solutes, in particular of macromolecules. The present study deals with the influence of soluble polysaccharide on the adherence of particulate fouling of open surfaces and on subsequent cleaning. Model surfaces differing by hydrophobicity (glass and polystyrene) were soiled with a suspension of quartz particles, taken as a model of hard hydrophilic soil. Dextran was chosen as a model of soluble polysaccharide. The surfaces were soiled with or without previous conditioning with the polysaccharide solution (80mg/l). The quartz particles suspension was prepared in three ways: (i) suspension in a polysaccharide solution (80mg/l), (ii) same as (i) and subsequent washing three times, (iii) suspension in water. The surfaces were soiled by spraying the suspension and dried for 30min before cleaning treatment with a water flow in a radial flow chamber. The aggregates observed after soiling differed considerably between glass and polystyrene, whether the surface and/or the quartz particles are conditioned with dextran. Conditioning polystyrene with dextran increased slightly the adherence of quartz particles, while the opposite was observed when conditioning glass with dextran, whatever the mode of quartz particles conditioning. The effect of conditioning quartz particles with dextran at the concentration used was not significant. [less ▲]