Physicochemical Properties of French Fries After Several Cycles of Frying with Moringa or Olive Oil

Moringa oleifera oil is characterized by its high content of oleic acid (ω9), very similar to olive oil. Moreover, it is rich in linolenic acid (ω3) and behenic acid, among other fatty acids. Furthermore, this plant has lower agronomic requirements, and it resists high temperatures. Given the current geopolitical and climatic situation, several commonly consumed oils have suffered a price increase, making them less affordable to the population. Therefore, the aim of this work was to compare the properties of French fries obtained with moringa oil or olive oil after several frying cycles, in addition to assessing their sensorial acceptance. Fried potatoes were characterized in terms of mass variation, moisture, water activity (aw), and optical and mechanical properties. The results showed that the potatoes fried with moringa oil lost less weight during frying, which was linked to the evaporation of water during the frying stage combined with the gain of oil. However, in all cases, the aw was similar. The color was not affected by the type of oil used, but luminosity was lower after the third frying cycle in the case of potatoes fried with moringa oil. Mechanical properties were not affected by the type of oil applied. Finally, at the sensory level, the judges evaluated all samples above 5 points, penalizing the attributes of the first-cycle moringa oil fries for being too low.