Abstract
Modified hydrocolloid gum Arabic (GA) layers on potato strips have been easily prepared by incorporating individual, binary or ternary combinations of antioxidants extracted from widely used spices (black pepper, red chili, turmeric, coriander and cumin) with gum Arabic before deep-frying. The methodological approach for antioxidants incorporation with GA has been firstly investigated to reduce simultaneously acrylamide (AA) and oil uptake in the final deep fat fried potato strips (DFFPS). Results revealed that the antioxidant capacity of markers and their adsorbed amounts are limiting factors for the efficiency of modified GA layer. It is interesting to observe that the use of antioxidants in ternary combinations improved markedly the performance of GA for the inhibition of AA giving values in the range of 112.1 ± 4.5 to 560.4 ± 6.6 μg/kg that are very close or lower than the acceptable EU benchmark level 500 μg/kg AA in DFFPS. The addition of ternary mixtures (1.5%, w/v) of red chili, turmeric and coriander into the GA (1%, w/v) coating solution (1:2, w/v) for 60 min at ambient temperature has been identified as the most promising inhibitor of AA formation (reduction up to 88%) and oil uptake (reduction up to 84.1%). However, non-modified GA layer attenuated only 20% of AA formation (747.2 ± 9.0 μg/kg) and 45.8% of oil uptake compared with the control sample. These results could be attributed to the formation of modified GA hydrocolloid coating on potato strips with the highest antioxidant capacity (485.3 ± 8.2 TE/100 g) and highest recovery by markers capsaicin, curcumin and linalool. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs confirmed the formation of a rigid (thermal gelation and/or crosslinking) network during frying that has to help cement the cell wall of potato tissue. Furthermore, texture, color and sensory analyses indicated that the proposed GA modified coating had maintained the overall acceptability of DFFPS products.
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•Modified Gum Arabic (GA) coating on potato strips was simply and economically prepared.•Modified GA layer containing individual or in combination antioxidant(s) was investigated.•Antioxidant capacity and adsorbed amount of markers were limiting factors for efficient results.•Modified GA/ternary antioxidants layer was promising inhibitor for AA formation and oil uptake.•Final coated products of fried potatoes had overall acceptability for sensory attributes.