Evaluation of the application of an edible coating and different frying temperatures on acrylamide and fat content in potato chips

The consumption of fried foods and specifically potatoes is associated with the development of cardiovascular and cancer diseases in the population due to these foods contain a high fat level and some toxic compounds such as acrylamide. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of the application of an edible coating developed from whey proteins and rosemary extracts on the reduction of acrylamide and fat in potato chips. The methodology included factorial experimental design, taking as independent variables: percentage of whey protein (5–11%), percentage of rosemary extract (0–2%), and frying temperature (170–190°C). The fat content was determined according to AOAC and acrylamide by LC‐ESI‐MS‐MS. In addition, textural analyses were performed on potato chips. The content of acrylamide oscillated between 130 and 650 μg/kg. The acrylamide content was significantly affected by the frying temperature (p < 0.05). The fat content ranged between 8 and 31%. The firmness values ranged between 0.5 and 5.7 N. It can be concluded that the edible coating reduces the content of acrylamide and fat during frying, in addition to improving the firmness of the potato. Therefore, the designed coating could be an alternative to the public health problem generated by the consumption of fried foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The present investigation shows how the use of coatings from whey proteins with the addition of extracts of natural antioxidants from rosemary can reduce the formation of neo‐formed contaminants (acrylamide) and adsorption of fat, which represents a great processing alternative for the industry that allows them to comply with the regulations, recommendations, and existing trends regarding to the consumption of healthier products. In addition, the use of the coating does not affect the sensory quality of the potatoes. This also represents an attractive alternative for consumers who demand increasingly safe and healthy and tasty products, favoring the decrease in the prevalence of degenerative diseases in world population.