Investigation of production possibilities of carrot chips

Carrot is a vegetable that is used in different ways in world cuisine, consumed by a wide variety of people and is known for its health benefits by consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the orange carrot grown intensively in our country in a different area and to develop a new alternative snack food. For this purpose, orange carrots, taken from a local market, were pretreated after slicing and washing with 1.5 mm thick slices and kept in the oven at 100 °C for 5 and 10 minutes. After pretreatment, the carrot slices were fried at three different temperatures at 170 °C, 175 °C and 180 °C in a deep hot oil bath for 2 and 3 minutes. Roasted carrot chips were cooled on paper towels at room temperature and packaged in polyethylene bags with metalized lock before analyses. Analysis of sensory, textural, color, dry matter, water activity, β-carotene, vitamin A, fat and sugar were performed in the chips produced. Appearance, crispiness, taste and general acceptability were evaluated by sensory analysis. The samples are coded according to the pretreatment time, the frying temperature and the frying time. Chips samples were ranked according to the average score given by the panelists in the results of sensory analysis. In appearance, the H5-170-2 chips sample received the highest score with an average of 5.0. In the crispiness, the H5-175-2, H10-170-3, H10-170-2 and H10-180-2 chips samples received the highest scores with an average of 4.71. In flavor, the H5-175-2 chips sample received the highest score with an average of 3.86. In general acceptability, the H5-175-2 sample received an average score of 4.3. Samples with high dry matter and low water activity rates were determined as sensorial prominent samples. In this study, it was determined that the strength of force applied to the samples, and color criteria values (L*, a*, b*) were decreased when pretreatment time, frying temperature and frying time were increased. It was determined that there was no linear decrease in total fat content, that the fat content was increased first and then decreased. The amount of β-carotene and therefore vitamin A values were found to be decreased compared to the values found in fresh carrots. H5-175-2 coded chips sample, which was second in sensory evaluation and highest score in terms of crispiness, flavor and overall acceptability, had highest score with 16.7 in total score. Considering the highest sensory score sample, it was determined that the fat value was higher than potato chips standards. The sample with the second highest score in the order of sensory analysis (H5-170-2) was found to be suitable according to the fat content standards. In this sample, it was determined that values were suitable except for sensory analysis. In the H5-170-2, the results were more positive in terms of total fat content, sensory evaluation, color, texture, β-carotene and vitamin A content comparing with the H5-175-2 sample.