Performance of individual antioxidants and their blend during repeated frying of tortilla chips

The performance of palm olein (PO) with different antioxidants during the repeated frying of tortilla chips was analyzed. Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) at concentration of 200 mg/kg (primary synthetic antioxidant), ascorbyl palmitate (AP) at 100 mg/kg (secondary synthetic antioxidant), and their blend (in the same concentration than individual addition) were added. Dough included 2% sesame seed, as it is prepared in commercial formulations for tortilla chips in the Guanajuato region (Mexico). Dough was sheeted, cut, and baked. Batches of 0.08 kg of tortillas were deep fat fried at 190°C for 2 min to produce the chips. Chemical indices—such as peroxide value (PV) and free fatty acids (FFA)—color and viscosity of the POs were evaluated. After 20 batches, the values for PO + BHT were PV = 29.6 meq/kg, FFA = 0.19%; PO + AP had PV = 13.3 meq/kg and FFA = 0.27%; and PO + BHT+AP, PV = 11.81 meq/kg and FFA = 0.29%. The best performance—based on lower primary oxidation—was achieved with the blend of antioxidants. Practical applications Repeated frying with PO is a common operation for production of tortilla chips. The blend of primary (BHT) and secondary (AP) antioxidants at 200 and 100 mg/kg, respectively, is recommended for manufacturers of frying media and for food industry, since it improved the performance (lower primary oxidation) of PO. In this way, safer fried tortilla chips would be offer to consumers, avoiding risks for consumers’ health (lower peroxide content) and having a product with good quality.