Effect of blanching on physicochemical characteristics of potato flour

Abstract

Offering new products obtained from potatoes is a market opportunity which may increase and motivate the consumption of this tuber. It also can contribute for waste reduction and ensure market for growers. Thus, we aimed to produce potato flour and to evaluate the effect of blanching on the physiochemical characteristics of this product after 3-month storage at room temperature. Potatoes cultivar Agata were used to make unblanched and blanched flour, through thermal treatment at 97°C for 5 min. The unblanched potato flour presented significantly smaller contents of moisture (p= 0.006), proteins (p= 0.001) and soluble fibers (p= 0.024), as well as color alteration. However, it presented higher phenolic compound content (23.77%). The blanched potato flour presented similar nutritional quality compared with the raw potato flour, and also longer shelf life, since dehydration can reduce about 95% of the initial moisture content of the potato. The thermal treatment (blanching) improved the supply of proteins and soluble fibers of the final product, as well as prevented enzymatic browning reaction which would result in color alteration of the product. The treatment reduced total phenolic compound content, though.