SODIUM CHLORIDE INHIBITS ACRYLAMIDE FORMATION DURING DEEP FAT FRYING OF PLANTAIN

Processing is often essential in order for food to become comestible and delectable e.g. addition of salt to food during frying to improve its taste. Acrylamide is formed during processes which occur at high temperature. This study ascertains that sodium chloride (NaCl) prevents the formation of acrylamide. It also compares the effects of different concentrations of table salt on formation of acrylamide during deep frying process of plantain. Test samples were treated by immersion in 1%, 5% and 10% sodium chloride for 60 minutes at room temperature before frying. Fried and raw plantain samples were evaluated for their asparagine and acrylamide content. The results showed frying causes acrylamide synthesis in plantain. The acrylamide concentration decreased with reducing pH values and increasing sodium chloride concentration. At 5% and 1% concentration of NaCl, there was no significant difference in the amount of acrylamide formed. The result of this study also revealed that the concentration of acrylamide in plantain significantly decreased (p<0.05) by 98.9% in ripe plantain and 35.4 % in unripe with the addition of 10% sodium chloride. Hence, sodium chloride at a high concentration reduces the formation of acrylamide