Dive Brief:

• Food researchers at the University of Illinois are using 986 X-ray micro-computed tomography images to create 3-D images of the microstructure of fried potato disks. The disks were fried at 190 degrees Celsius at different lengths of time. The researchers want to learn about the uptake of the oil during frying, and how the oil is distributed throughout the food material, according to Food Ingredients First.
• The research found pore size increased as frying time increased, providing clearer insight as to the formation of pores, as well as the "waviness" of porous pathways during the frying process.
• The oil was distributed across the fullness of the 45-mm in diameter, 1.65-mm thick potato disks; in thicker materials high in moisture, such as French fries, oil stays near the surface because evaporation prevents oil penetration.

Dive Insight:

Pawan Takhar, food scientist, University of Illinois, noted that food scientists only understand about 10% of what happens during the frying process. "For an engineer or a food scientist, it’s the ultimate problem because it’s so complicated," he stated.

The research could help health-conscious consumers feel less guilty about consuming fried foods. The goal of Takhar’s team is to provide the food industry with information it can use to reduce the fat content of fried foods without sacrificing taste.