In the large-capacity potato chip production line and frozen french fries processing line, sliced potato chips and potato strips need to go through the blanching process to be fried and seasoned. Why? Blanching potatoes can help remove residual potato skins, protect color and prevent oxidation.
What is potato blanching?
Normally, a continuous blanching machine is used in the fully automatic potato chips and fries processing line, which can perform continuous blanching on the cut potato chips for about 3-5 minutes.
In the semi-automatic processing plant, the blanching machine needs the manual operation, and the blanching work is carried out in batches. Each batch takes about 3 minutes. The potato blanching temperature is between 80 ℃ -100 ℃, which can be adjusted according to different potato varieties.
Is the longer the potato blanching time, the better?
马铃薯漂烫虽然容易操作，但对漂烫时间有特殊要求。如果土豆漂白时间太短、温度太低，就会刺激土豆中存在的酶的活性，从而导致土豆的风味、色泽和质地丧失。
如果漂烫过多，会使马铃薯品质下降，影响其风味、色泽、维生素和矿物质含量，并增加生产成本。
焯水土豆有什么好处？
1、焯水可以帮助深层清洁土豆表面。它可以杀死马铃薯表面的细菌、霉菌和其他生物。
2.马铃薯焯水会阻止酶的作用。当蔬菜成熟时，酶将继续发挥作用，直到蔬菜形成可行的种子繁殖。焯水可以杀死土豆中的酶，从而保持土豆的风味、颜色和质地。还可以延长土豆的保存期。焯水后，土豆即使接触氧气也不会变黑。
3、焯水可以使土豆表面的淀粉糊化。在油炸过程中，焯过水的土豆会在表层迅速形成一层糊化淀粉，从而限制了油脂的吸收，可以降低薯片或薯条的含油量，让口感更好。
4、焯水可以降低薯条中丙烯酰胺的含量。热烫可以提取马铃薯中的还原糖和氨基酸——天冬酰胺，并降低炸薯条中丙烯酰胺的含量。油炸后，土豆可以形成均匀的颜色。
In summary, we can conclude that blanching is necessary during the processing of French fries and potato chips.
