Effective quality control of incoming potatoes as an acrylamide mitigation strategy for the French fries industry

Raquel C. Medeiros Vinci (1) , Frédéric Mestdagh (2) , Nathalie de Muer (2) , Carlos van Peteghem (3) , Bruno de Meulenaer (2)

1 Department of Food Safety and Food Quality
2 Department of Food Safety and Food Quality
3 Department of Bioanalysis

The correlation between sugar levels in raw material (potatoes), brown colouring and formation of acrylamide in French fries was investigated. Such study would allow the identification of incoming potatoes (raw material) with high potential for acrylamide-formation. Ten different potato varieties commonly used in the Western European French fries industry were stored at 8°C and samples were taken throughout storage time. The current quality control used in the French fries industry for incoming potatoes is poorly correlated with acrylamide in the final product (R = 0.74). Changing the quality control parameter from colour to reducing sugars in raw material did not improve the correlation (R = 0.72). The best correlation was obtained with Agtron colour measurement after blanching and a two stage frying (R = -0.88). From this study it could be concluded that alternative entrance control measurements could provide a better mitigation of the acrylamide issue in French fries from the start of the production. These alternatives however are less cost-effective and more difficult to implement.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Raquel C. Medeiros Vinci, Frédéric Mestdagh, Nathalie de Muer, Carlos van Peteghem, Bruno de Meulenaer. Effective quality control of incoming potatoes as an acrylamide mitigation strategy for the French fries industry. Food Additives and Contaminants, 2010, 27 (04), pp.417-425. ⟨10.1080/19440040903453276⟩. ⟨hal-00576996⟩