REDUCING ACRYLAMIDE FORMATION

• US Patents No. 7,763,304; 7,763,305; 7,763,305 (July 27, 2010), and 7,767,247 (Aug. 3, 2010); D. Barry, et al., assigned to Frito-Lay North America, Inc., Plano, TX.

A process and apparatus for reducing the amount of acrylamide in thermally processed foods relies on manipulation of various unit operations used in the production of food products, particularly the washing and cooking operations. Washing is modified to have a contacting step with increased time and temperature. Also, components such as calcium chloride and L-cysteine are added to an aqueous solution used for washing. The cooking unit operation is divided into a higher-temperature first heating step and a lower-temperature second heating step to avoid the high-temperature/low-moisture conditions most favorable for acrylamide formation.