Enzyme-treated fried food

#This invention relates to a low calorie, fat-containing, flavorimproved fried food composition. More particularly, the invention relates to the treatment of fried, starchy foods prior to frying in fats and oils, to reduce fat absorption during frying and improve the flavor of the fried food.

#One of the most commom metabolic problems among people today is obesity. This condition is due to a greater intake of calories than are expended. Fat is generally the most concentrated form of energy in the diet, with each gram of fat supplying about nine calories. Fat generally constitutes about 40% of the total calories in the diet. Certain food products normally contain an elevated level of fat due to the method of preparation which includes frying in a fat or oil. Consequently, if these food products could be prepared with reduced fat absorption during frying, this would offer a convenient and practical method by which obesity could be decreased without elimination of such foods from the diet.

#In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that when the surface of a raw, starchy food product is coated with an aqueous solution of alpha amylase prior to frying ,less fat is absorbed in the food during frying than occurs without said treatment and the flavor of the fried food is improved.

#French fried potatoes were prepared by giving one sample of potatoes a preliminary treatment with enzyme prior to frying while a control sample was fried without the enzyme treatment as follows.

#Materials: (1) U.S. Number 1 Idaho Potatoes, Willow Creek Produce Company, Pirie, Idaho. (2) Wallerstein Enzyme WC-8, Bacillus Subtilis alpha amylase having about 15,000 BAU units per gram.

#Procedure: A 0.2% aqueous solution of the bacteria alpha amylase enzyme was prepared by dissolving about 2.5 grams of the enzyme in one quart of water. One pound of the U.S. Number 1 Idaho Potatoes were peeled and cut into a regular French fry form about six inches long by one-half inch by one-half inch. The French fries were allowed to absorb the bacterial alpha amylase by soaking in tap water. Soaking was conducted for one hour and five minutes. A control sample of one pound of U.S. Number 1 potatoes of similar size and form were placed in tap water without any enzyme and allowed to soak for a similar period of one hour and five minutes. The enzyme treated potatoes and the control potatoes were then both heated at 160.degree. F for seven and one-half minutes followed by heating at 190.degree. F for seven and one-half minutes. The treated potatoes and the control potatoes were then placed in a "Toastmaster" French fryer at 375.degree. F containing a commercial frying fat (Kraft Gold Label Liquid Shortening). The treated potatoes and the control potatoes were fried until they both appeared to be done by observation of similar browning color. The treated potatoes were thus fried for ten minutes whereas the control potatoes were fried for eight minutes. The two samples were then tasted. In a panel of four individuals who tasted the potatoes, it was the unanimous conclusion that the enzyme-treated French fry was preferred since it had less grease in the potato and tasted better than the control sample.