Prevention of enzymatic browning in sliced potatoes by blanching in boiling saline solutions

The response surface methodology was applied to investigate the way in which variables, such as time of treatment, sodium or calcium chloride concentrations and lactic acid concentration, affect the blanching of potato slices in boiling solutions. Two 3 factor-5 level, second order central composite designs were developed to analyse the considered variables. Results showed that all the considered blanching treatments allowed polyphenoloxidase inactivation. With regard to colour, the use of calcium chloride, already at low concentrations, would seem better than the use of sodium chloride. Under the applied operative conditions, the best results were obtained with short times of treatment and low lactic acid concentrations. (C) 2003 Swiss Society of Food Science and Technology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.