Method and apparatus for frying potato chips and related foodstuffs

A method for the preparation of potato chips in apparatus comprising a slicer for the slicing of potatoes, a conveyor for conveying sliced potatoes through a heated oil bath, a remover for removal of cooked potato chips from the heated oil bath and a temperature monitor for measuring temperature of the oil bath, said slicer comprising a knife blade that rotates at the lower end of a chute for potatoes, the knife blade being adapted to slice potatoes, and the sliced potatoes being fed to the heated bath, said method comprising:

• in said step of slicing of potatoes, automatically controlling the speed of rotation of the knife blade with respect to the temperature of the oil so that said knife blade is stationary when the temperature of the oil bath is below a pre-determined temperature and the speed of rotation of said knife blade increases as the temperature is increased above said pre-determined temperature.

Apparatus for preparing potato chips, said apparatus having a slicer for the slicing of potatoes, a conveyor for conveying sliced potatoes through a heated oil bath, a remover for removal of cooked potato chips from said heated oil bath and a temperature monitor for measuring temperature of said heated oil bath, wherein said slicer comprises:

• a knife blade adapted to slice potatoes that rotates at the lower end of a chute for potatoes, said sliced potatoes being fed to said heated oil bath, and
• an automatic controller for controlling the speed of rotation of said knife blade and the speed of said conveyor with respect to the temperature of said heated oil bath, wherein said controller automatically causes said knife blade to be stationary when the temperature of said heated oil bath is below a pre-determined temperature, wherein said controller automatically causes the speed of rotation of said knife blade to increase as the temperature is increased above said pre-determined temperature, and wherein said controller automatically causes the speed of said conveyor to increase as the temperature of said heated oil bath increases above said pre-determined temperature.

A method for the preparation of potato chips in apparatus comprising a slicer for the slicing of potatoes, a conveyor for conveying sliced potatoes through a heated oil bath, a remover for removal of cooked potato chips from said heated oil bath and a temperature monitor for measuring temperature of said heated oil bath, said slicer comprising a knife blade that rotates at the lower end of a chute for potatoes, said knife blade being adapted to slice potatoes, and said sliced potatoes being fed to the heated oil bath, said method comprising:

• in said step of slicing of potatoes, automatically controlling the speed of rotation of said knife blade and the speed of said conveyor with respect to the temperature of said heated oil bath so that said knife blade is stationary when the temperature of said heated oil bath is below a pre-determined temperature, the speed of rotation of said knife blade increases as the temperature is increased above said pre-determined temperature and the speed of said conveyor increases as the temperature of said heated oil bath increases above said pre-determined temperature.