Let's make potato wedges
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They can be eaten with a sauce of choice, seasoned with various spices, even battered and deep-fried again, served for lunch or as bar food, but one is for sure - everyone is a fan of potato wedges! But how does a plain potato become a delicious wedge? Potato wedges are processed with the help of standard potato processing equipment and undergo processes of washing, peeling, slicing, and cooking.
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Industrial production and potato processing equipment
Potato processing is a large industry that caters to various end products, from chips over fries to wedges. Preparations and potato processing equipment in the early stages do not differ depending on the final product. Namely, once they reach the factory, potatoes must be washed from soil residues and debris before being peeled in a rotating drum with rough surfaces to remove the skin.
Peeled potatoes pass along a conveyor belt to be visually inspected and removed if substandard, and only the best quality potatoes are sliced in a potato wedges cutting machine to achieve the desired size and shape. The raw potato wedges are blanched, which plays a a vital role in color, texture, shortening find time, and enzyme inactivation.
The dried wedges are then seasoned as desired, for instance, with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, etc., in a rotating flavor drum, as well as partially cooked before cooling and freezing at -18°C. Finally, the frozen wedges are bagged by an automatic food packing machine.
Deep-friend, air-fried, or baked? What is the choice?
Deep-fried food is always some of the most satisfying, comforting, and popular choices, and potato wedges are no different. The reasons why deep-fried food is so delicious are the sensual stimulation we feel due to its crunchy but melty texture, as well as the enhanced flavors and quick cooking time. While deep-frying results in a popularly crispy texture, air-frying, on the other hand, is a healthier alternative as it achieves similar results with significantly less oil. Since the method is based on hot air circulation, up to 400°C degrees, it requires less preheating time than a conventional oven.
Finally, baked wedges might be the healthiest option as oven baking tends to preserve nutrients and filter out the bad ones, in addition to requiring no oil at all. Prepared wedges are placed on baking trays before being inserted into large industrial ovens.
Times flies when potato fries: deep-frying as a cooking method
On large industrial-scale production, factories use continuous fryers that take in raw products from one side and take out the cooked product on the other, which then automatically moves onto the next production station. An adjustable conveyor belt transports pre-processed potatoes through the heated oil. In contrast, the scraper belt runs along the bottom of the fryer to take the submersed residues out, and a built-in slotted screen removes the floating debris from the oil. Ensuring clean and fresh oil is the key to a high-quality end product, therefore, adequate, frequent turnover time is also crucial. Thus, the cleaners, temperature, and internal oil circulation are always monitored and ensured. The best results are achieved by combining a high belt capacity and a high belt speed with a high but uniform oil temperature.
A healthier deep frying process? Yep, it’s possible!
Due to diet trends, food industries must find a way to make their beloved deep-fry products healthier. One option is to swap traditionally used oils with healthier and more environment-friendly alternatives such as rapeseed, cottonseed, and coconut oils. It is crucial to filter and change oil frequently to avoid burnt debris. Furthermore, the ideal oil temperature is between 176–190°C, as it cooks the potato’s surface instantly, preventing further penetration of fats. In addition, manufacturers use pre-processing as a way to minimize unhealthy fat absorption during deep-frying, such as blanching and hot washing or PEF (Pulsed Electric Field) technology to reduce sugar before frying. Moreover, alternative cooking methods such as multi-stage or vacuum frying that rely on low-temperature and low-pressure conditions are another possible solution for healthier deep-frying, as the low temperatures preserve heat-sensitive nutrients and oil does not breaks down into its carcinogenic components.
A new edge of potato wedge: innovations in the industry
Since wedges are a traditional, uncomplicated, and globally loved product, there is not much need for innovations in aspects other than taking advantage of technology to achieve as healthy a product as possible. One of the most interesting innovations in the potato processing industry is the aforementioned PEF technology, which can replace some food industry processes, such as blanching or pasteurization. Namely, PEF technology uses pulses of electricity to puncture cell membranes to extract water and sugar content which reduces acrylamide formation during cooking. It is a gentler process than blanching but achieves the same result: absorbing up to 50% less oil during deep frying. It also ensures more uniform cooking, color, and texture.
Processing steps involved in potato wedges making
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