Quality processing
Potato consumption is shifting from fresh potatoes to processed potatoes, home made or in factories. Less time for food preparation at home stimulates the processing industry.
Potato processing Netherlands
There is a great difference in foodquality between processed potatoes and fresh potatoes.
French fries
Potatoes are cut and first par-fried at 150 oC and later finish-fried at 180 oC.
French fries come on the market as par-fried french fries and are in places where they are used finish-fried just before consumption. In the production process of french fries there are a number processes: peeling, trimming, cutting, sorting, blanching, frying, draining and cooling. From 100 Kg potatoes about 50 kg par-fried French fries can be produced.
Production process of french fries------Production plant french fried
The quality of the french fries depends largely on dry matter content and reducing sugar content of the potatoes. When the dry matter content of the potatoes is low the product is flabby and the oil content is undesirably high. If the reducing sugar content is high the french fries are too dark in colour and have a bitter taste.
French fries colour
Chips
Potato chips are a popular snack.
In the frying process more water has to be removed from the potatoes than is the case for french fries. The quality requirements (low reducing sugar and high dry matter content) are higher for potatoes used for the production of chips. From 100 kg of potatoes about 30 kg chips are produced.
Production process of chips----Small chips processing plant
A crispy product with a not too dark colour is desired. When the dry matter content of the potatoes is low the product is flabby and the oil content is undesirably high.
Colour of chips