The formation of acrylamide (ACR) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) during frying poses significant public health concerns due to their potential carcinogenic and genotoxic effects. This study investigated the efficacy of pectin (PEC)-based edible coatings enriched with olive leaf extract (OLE) and chitosan nanoparticles (CH-NPs) in mitigating ACR and HMF formation in French fries prepared by deep fat frying (190 °C, 9 min) and hot air frying (200 °C, 18 min). Physicochemical characterization of coating solutions revealed that OLE and CH-NPs substantially enhanced antioxidant activity (78.9%) without markedly affecting zeta potential or particle size distribution. Quantitative HPLC-UV analysis showed that air frying produced significantly higher ACR and HMF levels than deep frying. However, the combined PEC + OLE + CH-NPs coating achieved the greatest mitigation, reducing ACR by 53% in deep frying and 58% in air frying, and decreasing HMF formation by 65% and 39.5%, respectively. Moreover, this coating lowered oil uptake by 55% while retaining higher moisture content (up to 61.9%) and lighter color parameters (L* = 77.0). Sensory evaluation indicated that deep-fried coated fries were more acceptable to panelists than air-fried samples, suggesting that edible coatings can improve both safety and quality. These findings demonstrate the synergistic potential of combining natural antioxidants with nano-biopolymer reinforcements to develop healthier frying strategies. The study highlights that although air frying reduces fat content, it may increase heat-induced toxicants, emphasizing the importance of consumer awareness and technological optimization in domestic frying practices.

Conference Title

Meeting Sezione SIB Campania 2025

Conference Country

Palestine

Conference Date

Nov. 7, 2025 - Nov. 7, 2025

Conference Sponsor

SIB