title: Characterisation of potato crisp effective porosity using micro-CT.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effective porosity is an important quantitative parameter for food products that has a significant effect on taste and quality. It is challenging to quantify the apparent porosity of fried potato crisps as they have a thin irregularly shaped cross section containing oil and water. This study uses a novel micro-CT technique to determine the solid volume fraction and hence the effective porosity of three types of potato crisps: standard continuously fried crisps, microwaved crisps, and continuously fried 'kettle' crisps.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that continuously fried kettle crisps had the lowest effective porosity at 0.54, providing the desired crunchy taste and lower oil contents. Crisps produced using a microwave process designed to mimic the dehydration process of standard continuous fried crisps had an effective porosity of 0.65, which was very similar to the effective porosity of 0.63 for standard continuously fried crisps. The results were supported by the findings of a forced preference consumer test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effective porosity affects the product taste and is therefore a critical parameter. This study shows that micro-CT analysis can be used to characterise the change in effective porosity of a thin irregularly shaped food product, caused by a change of cooking procedure. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors: e2v technologies (UK Ltd), 106 Waterhouse Lane, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 2QU, UK.|Energy and Sustainability Research Division, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
authors: Ryan C
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5495-4761
authors: RC
authors: Renshaw
authors: Energy and Sustainability Research Division, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
authors: John P
authors: JP
authors: Robinson
authors: Energy and Sustainability Research Division, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
authors: Georgios A
authors: GA
authors: Dimitrakis
authors: PepsiCo Europe R&D, Beaumont Park, 4 Leycroft Road, Leicester, LE4 1ET, UK.
authors: John R
authors: JR
authors: Bows
authors: Energy and Sustainability Research Division, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.
authors: Samuel W
authors: SW
authors: Kingman
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003296:Cooking; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D004739:England; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000032:analysis* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005513:Food Inspection / Q000379:methods*; D005518:Food Preferences; D063427:Food Quality; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena / Q000528:radiation effects; D055616:Microtechnology; D008872:Microwaves / Q000009:adverse effects; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D035281:Plant Tubers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D016062:Porosity / Q000528:radiation effects; D012677:Sensation; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D013649:Taste; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D010938:Plant Oils
keywords: frying; micro-CT; microwave; porosity; potato