Method for preparing a potato product for finish-frying, processing line therefor and such a potato product for finish-frying

1. A method for preparing a potato product for finish-frying, comprising the steps of:

supplying a quantity of potatoes of a potato variety with an underwater weight equal to or lower than 300 g/5 kg;

washing, peeling and cutting the supplied potatoes to form a basic potato product;

blanching the basic potato product to form a blanched potato product;

drying the blanched potato product;

applying a coating to the blanched and dried potato product to form a coated potato product; and

pre-frying the coated potato product to form a pre-fried potato product,

wherein the steps provide a potato product having a dry substance percentage after coating and pre-frying and before finish-frying in the range of 29.1-34.2%, and wherein the energetic value is in the range of 100-120 kCal/100 g after coating and pre-frying and before finish-frying, wherein the coating composition is provided with a composition comprising by weight relative to the weight of the composition:

30-60% modified starch comprising high amylose starch;

20-30% flour;

5-20% dextrin;

2-10% unmodified starch; and

0.01-2% carbonate.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of finish-frying the pre-fried potato product, wherein the energetic value of the finish-fried potato product is lower than 190 kCal/100 g and the dry substance percentage is in the range of 38.7-45.4%.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the content of available carbohydrate in the finish-fried potato product is lower than 29% by weight.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acrylamide content in the finish-fried potato product is lower than 120 μg/kg.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the blanching time lies in the range of 8 to 12 minutes.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the blanching temperature lies in the range of 74 to 84° C.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the temperature amounts to about 160° C. during application of the coating which is applied within a time interval in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 minutes.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the finish-frying time lies in the range of 6 to 9 minutes.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the modified starch comprises 10-25% chemically acetylated starch of the content of modified starch.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of modifying the coating composition on the basis of the origin of the potato product, storage life and/or storage conditions.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pre-fried potato product is deep-frozen prior to the finish-frying.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the finish-frying is performed with hot air in an air fryer.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an end product is realized provided with a texture with a breaking value in the range of 1.5 to 3 N.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of selecting a batch, the step of selecting a batch comprising determining the dry substance content for a batch as a function of frying time.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a batch is assessed as suitable if the directional coefficient for the relation between dry substance content and frying time lies in the range of 4-6% dry substance per minute of frying time at a frying temperature of 180° C.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied with a suspension provided with a dry substance content in the range of 30-55%.

17. A processing line configured to perform the method as claimed in claim 1 .

18. Application of the method as claimed in claim 1 , resulting in a potato product provided with a:

calorific value lower than 190 kCal/100 g;

content of available carbohydrates of 20-24%;

acrylamide lower than 100 μg/kg;

colour in accordance with USDA≤3;

fat content in the range of 5-7%;

texture 1.5-2.5 Newton; and

shelf life of 5 minutes in holding time period at about 60° C. under a heating lamp.