Investigating the Effect of Cellulose Derivatives-Based Edible Coating on Physicochemical Properties of Purple Sweet Potato Chips

Deep-fat frying is known to produce chips with favored qualities; nevertheless, due to the direct contact observed between the materials and the oil, there is a substantial potential for high-fat content to be produced. The problem has been successfully addressed by using edible coatings as a reduction approach of oil absorption. However, only a few studies have been conducted on the application of coating materials prior to the frying process in purple sweet potato chips. Thus, this study aimed to determine the effect of applying cellulose derivative-based edible coatings, such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), and methylcellulose (MC) on the physicochemical properties of purple sweet potato chips. A completely randomized design with one factor was used in this study. The results demonstrated the ability of the edible coating to reduce the fat content in purple sweet potato chips when compared to the control, with the most significant percentage decrease was observed in HPMC (28.83%), followed by MC (25.25%), and CMC (19.58%). The treatments also had an effect on some physicochemical properties, as observed by an increase in water and ash content, a reduced level of fat content, antioxidant activity, and crispness (texture). In conclusion, purple sweet potato chips with cellulose derivatives-based edible coating applied before frying could be developed as innovative purple sweet potato-based snacks.