PotatoPro Newsletter

Services for the Potato Processing Industry

March 5, 2008

Earlier this week I looked over the older PotatoPro Newsletters and the topics that we have covered in each newsletter. I concluded it was time to pay attention to one of the key aspects of potato processing, often underestimated and by those new to the industry sometimes even totally overlooked:

The quality of the potato and the special requirements that there are for the main groups of potato products.

Whenever someone inquires about a production line for chips or french fries I try to find an opportunity to inquire about their access to potatoes suitable for processing and their knowledge about this aspect.

Here are some of the basics:

The amount of reducing sugars in the potato are responsible for the colour formation of fried products. So if potatoes are to high in reducing sugars, they are not suitable for processing. The maximum limits differ somewhat by product (see table below).

It is also important to realize that the concentration of reducing sugars in potatoes is not at all static. Reducing sugars increase during storage, depending on the storage temperature. The lower the storage temperature, the more reducing sugars are formed. That is why potatoes for potato chips - with the lowest tolerance for reducing sugars - are typically stored at 10°C and potatoes for french fries at a temperature of 6-8 °C. Since table potatoes can be stored at temperatures as low as 4°C, this makes them totally unsuitable for processing. So the fact that stored potatoes are available, does not necessarily mean that stored potatoes for processing are available.

Reducing sugar (glucose) can be measured directly, but frying the product under standardized conditions and than judging or measure the colour gives often more information. More on measurement methods for reducing sugars and colour

The other critical "invisible" potato characteristic for processing is the dry matter content. The dry matter is typically measured as weight in water. In the table below you can find the most suitable range for each product category.

More on measurement methods for dry matter content of potatoes.

Want to read more? Here is a more in depth description of requirements of potatoes for processing.

Enjoy reading,

Paul van Eijck

Featured Product

Single Tank Fryer

Ideal for testing fry quality of potatoes as part of quality control procedures. Knowing the quality and grade before transportation ensures peace of mind that contract quality has been achieved and avoids unnecessary and expensive rejections. The single tank fryer is thermostatically controlled for consistent results. It comes complete with timer, batter plate and lid. It is an easy to clean, stainless steel unit with removable tank, lift-out element and control panel and heavy duty stainless steel basket. Capacity: 7Kg chips per hour (raw to cooked) Power rating: 3kW

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The standard colour card that is used world wide for the evaluation of french fries is the USDA french fry colour card:

Read more...

Digital Balance for Weight in Water Assessment

• Any weight of potatoes can be measured
• Depth of water required is only 40cm
• Use in the QC laboratory or in the field
• Portable, simple to use and robust

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