Effect of cost‐effective pretreatment of combining drying with acid soaking on oil absorption and performance of fried potato chips

This study provided a detailed examination of the influence of hot-air drying (HAD) combined with acetic acid (AA) soaking pretreatment on performance and oil absorption of potato chips. Results showed that oil uptake of control samples was 45.07%. The pretreatment combining HAD with AA soaking for 0-2 h could reduce the oil content of fried potato chips effectively. Specifically, oil content of samples treated with HAD for 20, 30 and 40 min combined with AA application for 0.5 h decreased by 36.87%, 28.42% and 23.72%, respectively, compared to control group. The application of HAD treatment before frying reduced the pores and cracks in potato chips after frying. The subsequent combination with AA immersion promoted pectin crosslinking, which hindered pore formation and decreased oil adsorption on the potato chip surface. The combined pretreatment of HAD and AA soaking before frying had a significant effect on the properties and oil content of potato chips. Roughness analysis indicated that HAD increased the surface roughness of potato chips, while AA soaking treatment reduced the external roughness of fried chips and simultaneously improved their texture. This study delivers technical guidance and strategies for developing low-oil fried potato chips, offering insights into preprocessing strategies.