Modified atmosphere packaging and temperature effect on potato crisps oxidation during storage

Evaluation of lipid oxidation in potato crisps has been studied extensively. Most times, the study was done on potato crisps recently prepared by deep-fat frying, comparing different frying oils. In the present work, an extraction method that involves extraction and derivatization of free fatty acids to fatty acids methyl esters in a single step followed by gas chromatography is used. On the one hand, four potato crisps brands, fried in different oils, were stored at room temperature and at 40 °C, in the dark, to evaluate the effect of temperature on the fatty acids. On the other hand, a single kind of potato crisps (fried in olive oil), was stored at room temperature, in darkness, under different atmospheres: air, vacuum, oxygen scavenger, and nitrogen. The most effective conditions in order to avoid or at least delay lipid oxidation were storage at room temperature with an oxygen scavenger.