Effect of vacuum frying on quality attributes of pear (Pyrus communis L) chips and blended oil.

Standardization of various parameters during vacuum frying of pear slices and the effect of vacuum frying on blended oil (Palmolein and Sesame oils, 60:40) were studied.
Oil samples were evaluated after an alternative vacuum frying of 20 consecutive
cycles. Results showed that optimum vacuum frying conditions were temperature
110°C, vacuum 74–98 mbar, and time 4.0–4.2 min that produced pear chips with
moisture content ≤2.04%, oil uptake ≤21.73%, breaking force ≤6.79N, color L*
≤64.31, a* ≤4.81, b* ≤29.76, and whiteness index ≤54.29, whereas conventionally
fried chips contain moisture content 1.03% wt/wt, oil uptake 44.83%, breaking force
11.23N, color L* 21.84, a* 6.83, b* 11.67, and whiteness index 20.68. The peroxide value, free fatty acids, atherogenicity, and thrombogenicity index of oil obtained
after vacuum frying (≤5.28, ≤2.84, ≤0.57, and ≤ 1.08, respectively) were found to be
lower than conventional frying (10.83, 3.70, 0.59, and 1.11, respectively) indicating
better quality of blended oil.
Practical applications
Vacuum frying employed in the present study resulted in reduced fat pear chips with
retention of quality of frying medium as compared to conventional frying. This novel
approach could be a feasible, economical process for food processing industries for
the production of low-fat pear chips that prolong the shelf-life of frying medium.