A two-year investigation towards an effective quality control of incoming potatoes as an acrylamide mitigation strategy in french fries

Abstract

The current entrance quality control used in the french fries industry is done based on colour evaluation with a United States Department of Agriculture/Munsell colour chart (after a short frying test, typically 180°C for 3 min). On the basis of a study carried out during two consecutive potato storage seasons, the possibility of a more effective entrance control of the raw potato tubers in order to identify batches of potatoes prone to acrylamide formation was evaluated. The current entrance control was compared to two other colour evaluation methods (CIE L*a*b* colour parameters and a process-specific Agtron analyser) and to reducing sugar content determination. Seasonal variability did not affect the slopes of the linear correlation models, for most of the parameters studied. The determination of colour formation measured by the Agtron methodology and reducing sugar content allowed a better identification of batches of potatoes prone to acrylamide formation compared with the current entrance control. Different scenarios represented by decision trees for quality control measures for incoming potatoes were evaluated while considering the investigation value of 600 µg kg^–1 for french fries recently prescribed by the European Commission. Samples were categorised based on predictions of threshold values and acrylamide levels in the final product.

Keywords:

• acrylamide
• incoming potatoes
• quality control
• colour
• reducing sugars
• french fries

Acknowledgements

This research was financed by Flanders’ FOOD, EUPPA and Belgapom. Frédéric Mestdagh is a post-doctoral researcher supported by the research Foundation-Flanders (FWO). The support provided by PinguinLutosa Foods (Belgium) for the necessary practical arrangements was greatly appreciated. The authors thank the steering committee of EUPPA for fruitful discussions during editing of the manuscript. The authors thank Quenten Denon, Laurent De Smytere and Christel Detavernier for technical assistance during lab analysis.