EFFECTS OF VACUUM FRYING TEMPERATURE AND TIME ON THE QUALITY OF PUMPKIN (Cucurbita moschata D.) SNACKS

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine effects of vacuum frying temperature (90 - 110^oC) and time (30 - 50 minutes) on quality attributes of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata D.) snack products. The results revealed that the moisture content, water activity, carotenoid content, lightness (L*), and redness (a*) of products increased with the increasing frying temperature and time. In contrast, the hardness, yellowness (b*) and oil content demonstrated the opposite phenomenon. Products had better sensory texture when increasing the frying temperature and time; however, the color, odor and flavor were significantly reduced. Pumpkin snacks fried at 100^oC for 40 minutes had moisture content (1.26 ± 0.15%), water activity (0.54 ± 0.02), hardness (15.96 ± 0.22 N), carotenoid content (20.12 ± 0.21 mg/100 g), L* (58.35 ± 0.46), a* (14.59 ± 0.13), b* (25.83 ± 0.31), oil content (34.39 ± 1.51%) and sensory attributes that met the quality parameters for fried products. There was a significant correlation between the criteria: moisture, water activity, amount of oil uptake and fracture force (p < 0.01). The moisture content and water activity correlate negatively with oil uptake (r = -0.873 and -0.969, respectively) and fracture force (r = -0.929 and -0.798, respectively). On the contrary, there was a positive correlation between the oil uptake and the fracture force (r = 0.760).