De impact van grondstoffen en productieparameters op de eigenschappen van (gefrituurde) aardappelpuree

Potato-based mashes serve as a basis for a large range of (pre-)fried (frozen) potato products such as potato croquettes. Transformations in potato constituents during their making probably determine product quality. However, fundamental knowledge on the impact of raw material properties and particularly those of starch, the potato main constituent besides water, on mash making is lacking. This doctoral research aims at (i) unraveling the starch transitions occurring during potato-based mash making, (ii) exploring their impact on mash rheology and (iii) developing strategies to control mash rheology. First, a lab-scale procedure for potato-based mash making will be developed together with analytical tools to characterize the rheological behavior of the mashes. In a next step, the transformations in potato constituents during the production of mashed potatoes will be studied. The properties of potatoes are subject to large seasonal variability which will understandably impact mash making. Changes in potato constituents during storage will be analyzed and related to their functionality during mash making. Finally, raw material and processing based strategies to tailor the rheology of potato-based mashes will be developed.