Comparative oil uptake by potato chips during frying under different conditions

Effect of different frying media viz., vanaspati ghee. refined oils (groundnut. cottonseed, sunflower seed, soybean. and rapeseed), pre-treatment of potato slices with carboxymethyl cellulose and initial frying temperature on oil uptake during deep-fat-frying of potato chips was determined. The oil uptake expressed as oil uptake ratio in chips fried in different frying media ranged from 0.34 to 0.41. Higher initial temperature of frying media, in general, resulted in increased oil pick up by the chips. Carboxymethyl cellulose (0.1%) was found to be effective in reducing oil uptake. Chips fried in cottonseed oil picked up less oil, were more crisp and retained better quality during storage.