Abstract: In the present work, we applied acetic acid pretreatment (ACP) to reduce the oil absorption and improve the quality characteristics of potato chips (PC) and we explored the underlying mechanism. The variation of water distribution in fresh potato slices pretreated with acetic acid for 1–8 hours and the variations of the water and oil contents, oil composition and distribution, pore diameter, color and texture of PC made from the pretreated potato samples were studied. After ACP, both oil and water contents of PC were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). An ACP time of 4 h gave the lowest oil content of PC (17%). Microscopic observation of the cell structure of PC revealed that pectin gelation occurred between the cell walls, and the cell structure remained relatively intact with few empty spaces after ACP. Moreover, ACP significantly improved the sensory characteristics of PC, endowing it with a brighter color and better crispness. This study provides a new strategy for the production of low-fat potato chips.

Key words: potato chips; oil content; cell structure; acid treatment; pectin gelation