Effect of Zedo Gum Coating with Thyme and Tarragon Essential Oil on the Chemical Composition and Texture of Sliced French Fries

The purpose of this study was to look into the effect of coating French fries with gum zedo, which contained essential oils of thyme and tarragon, on the chemical composition and texture of the fries. The research hypothesis is that the process of frying French fries at a high temperature could reduce humidity effectively. Also, it affects the texture of sliced French fries as well as taste, smell, and the final product. The zedoary gum, which consists of two essential oils, affects the chemical composition and texture of sliced french fries and could increase the quality of food. In this study, Shirazi thyme and tarragon essential oils were extracted by distillation with water using the Clevenger apparatus. The coating solution was prepared using 1% zedoary gum, thyme essential oil, and tarragon to cover the potato slices. The results showed that by coating the potato samples with gum, the moisture content increased while the fat and protein content decreased. The hydrocolloid coating of zedo gum reduced the hardness index of fried potato tissue compared to the control sample. However, the use of thyme and tarragon essential oils had no significant effect on the chemical composition, texture, or hardness of the samples. Finally, the sample coated with a hydrocolloid coating of zedo gum without essential oil and containing thyme essential oil had the highest overall acceptance score among the samples.