Simulation of a deep-fat frying process for tortilla chips

Abstract

The process of deep-fat frying involves simultaneous heat and mass transfer Both frying and cooling conditions are critical to the final product quality. An understanding of the complex frying mechanism is helpful to improve the quality of the final products. The frying and cooling processes were simulated by applying energy and mass balance equations to a single chip and a batch of tortilla chips. The temperature, moisture content, and oil content were calculated as a function of frying/cooling time. Finite difference technique was used to solve the set of partial differential equations. Experiments were conducted to validate the mathematical model. The temperature of the chips during frying and cooling processes and the temperature of the oil during frying were measured. Oil content and moisture content for different frying and cooling time were determined using the Soxhiet extraction and the convection oven methods, respectively. Comparisons between predicted and observed results showed that the model successfully simulated the frying and cooling processes for tortilla chips. The good agreements also validate the frying mechanism proposed by this study. The mathematical model was used to analyze the effects of different frying and cooling conditions on the oil, moisture, and temperature profiles during the frying and cooling processes of tortilla chips. Oil absorption decreases as the cooling temperature increases. Initial moisture content and thickness of the tortilla chip also affect the final oil content.