Enzymatic modification of cassava polysaccharides for improved crispness and quality of cassava chips

Abstract Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz ) is a widely available raw material for cassava chip production in Indonesia; however, the product generally exhibits lower crispness than potato chips. This study investigated enzymatic modification of cassava polysaccharides to improve chip crispness by integrating physicochemical, microstructural, and sensory analyses. Fresh cassava slices (~ 1 mm thickness) were treated with three commercial enzymes (pectinase, glucosidase, and amylase, 500 ppm). Preliminary trials evaluated incubation times ranging from 60 to 180 min to identify the optimal incubation period before optimizing temperature (30–40 °C) and pH (6.0–8.0). The treated samples were subsequently deep-fried at 150 °C for 10 min. Changes in texture, microstructure, color, proximate composition, and sensory acceptability were evaluated following enzymatic treatment. The results indicated that pectinase significantly improved crispness, yielding the highest fracturability (1956.37 gf) compared with glucosidase (1484.61 gf), amylase (1684.83 gf), and control (577.24 gf). Optimal conditions using pectinase were obtained at 35 °C and pH 6.0, producing chips with higher porosity, lower resilience (0.26), and improved crispness (moderately liked) compared with glucosidase-treated and control samples. Proximate analysis showed significantly lower moisture content (4.63%) and higher fat content (28.89%) in pectinase-treated chips than in control samples ( p < 0.05), while protein and ash contents were not significantly affected. Moisture, ash, and fat contents remained within the acceptable range of the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) for cassava chips. Greater microstructural fragmentation and porosity were observed in pectinase-treated samples than in control samples. Pectinase was identified as the most effective enzyme under optimized temperature and pH conditions. While enzymatic modification is well established in food systems, this work demonstrates its specific application in cassava chips, providing insights into the development of cassava-based snack products with improved textural quality and consumer acceptability.