Recent advances in frying processes for plant-based foods

Abstract

Background: Deep-fat fried foods are widely popular due to their distinct organoleptic and sensory characteristics. Deep-fat frying allows physical and chemical structural changes at the macro and micro levels. One of the greatest concerns regarding fried foods is their high oil content, and the excessive consumption of these foods has been linked to a range of metabolic diseases, including heart ailments, obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.Scope and approach: This review paper presents a comprehensive and up-to-date review of various innovative frying processes, such as vacuum frying (VF), microwave frying, microwave-assisted vacuum frying (MVF), ultrasound combined microwave vacuum frying (UMVF), air frying, and radiant frying. Additionally, it explains the oil uptake mechanism, oil quality, and the effects of different pretreatments and post-frying treatments on the frying process.Key findings and conclusions: Innovative frying processes are considered promising and capable of producing healthier fried foods compared to traditional frying; they reduce oil uptake without deteriorating organoleptic and sensory characteristics. Specifically, vacuum-assisted frying technologies, such as VF, MVF, and UMVF have significantly reduced oil uptake and acrylamide production while preserving oil quality. In addition, appropriate pretreatment and post-frying techniques play an essential role in reducing oil uptake and optimizing the frying process by saving energy.

Keywords

• Oil uptake
• Acrylamide
• Vacuum
• Microwave
• Ultrasound
• Air frying