CRISP QUALITY OF 2 POTATO VARIETIES - EFFECTS OF DEHYDRATION AND REHYDRATION

Crisps adversely made from stored whole potatoes turn brown, whereas texture is adversely affected when crisps are made from dehydrated slices. Rehydration as a step prior to crisp-making has been investigated in two commercially grown potato varieties in Mauritius. The raw material was analysed for physical, chemical and processing characteristics including peeling losses, blanching time, drying rates and yield. Rehydration rates and ratios were determined. The sensory characteristics of the crisps were evaluated. Potatoes of the Exodus variety were smaller with more eyes and had higher peeling loss than those of the Spunta variety. The former had higher specific gravity and better drying characteristics. There were no significant differences between the varieties in respect of blanching time, chemical composition and crisp quality, and the drying curves were similar. Slight differences were observed in the rehydration characteristics. Crisps made from dehydrated slices were inferior in texture and taste to those of the control. However, crisps made from rehydrated slices were comparable to control crisps.