Applying sensory and instrumental techniques to evaluate the texture of French fries from fast food restaurant

The aim of the work is to explore the relationship between the instrument and sensory data and to select the type of probes suitable for determining the texture of French fries. Ten commercial French fries were assessed using different probe types and perceived sensations through descriptive analysis. The eight sensory attributes developed by trained panelists can distinguish samples well. Simultaneously, the result of instrument data analysis revealed that the variation coefficient of three-point bending was the largest, which indicates that the measurement accuracy was lower. The compression test showed significant correlation with most of the sensory attributes (r = .64-.90), while the cut test with a Volodkevich Bite Jaws probe does not correlate with all sensory attributes (r = .03-.49). Among these instrumental methods, compression, blade with guillotine probe, and puncture test are recommended for texture measuring of French fries. These results will provide a time-saving and efficient method for determining the texture of French fries.