Dehydrated Potatoes: Food Function Advances

Discover how dried potato products are enhancing everything from baked goods, to frozen foods, to snacks.

Posted on 01 November 2005 by THE UNITED STATES POTATO BOARD

While they are often associated with mashed potatoes, today’s dehydrated potato products can be used as a nutritious base food and a neutral product that complements a variety of ingredients. They can stand alone or be used as an ingredient in baked goods, frozen foods, ready-to-eat meals, soups, sauces and snack foods.

In fact, dried potatoes come in slices, dices, shreds, standard flakes and standard granules. In contrast to potato starch, dehydrated potatoes have additional proteins, sugars, fiber, vitamins and minerals. They contain an easy to digest protein source with an amino acid profile similar to an egg.

In terms of storage, they are lightweight, easy to transport and do not require refrigeration. As they are susceptible to heat, they should be kept in a cool, dry area at temperatures below 27ºC. On average, the maximum shelf-life of dehydrated potato products is 18-24 months. When comparing costs, dehydrated potatoes provide more servings per metric ton than fresh potatoes due to a 5:1 rehydration ratio.

Functionality in General Food Manufacturing
FUNCTION	BENEFIT
Binder	The free starch present in dehydrated potato flakes and flour holds meat together.
Breading	Use potato flakes alone or combined with flour, cornmeal and/or crushed corn flakes to create breading for fish, meat or vegetables. For fried foods, the use of dehydrated potatoes can provide for a crispy texture without the “flinty” texture sometimes associated with other breading materials.
Color Enhancer	In baked goods such as breads and cakes, the addition of dehydrated potatoes can enhance crust color, producing a thicker, darker crust.
Decoration	Prepared mashed potatoes can be squeezed from pastry tubes to decorate casseroles and improve food presentation.
Extender	Flakes or flour can be added to burgers or patties before cooking, thus requiring less meat per burger.
Flavor/Texture Enhancer	Flakes and granules can be used to produce potato-flavored snacks and baked goods. When used in bakery products at inclusion levels of at least 10%, they impart a potato flavor and soft mouthfeel to the product. Snack foods generally use a much higher level of inclusion.
Humectant/Shelf-Life Extender	At low inclusion levels of less than 5%, dehydrated potatoes serve as an anti-staling or crumb softening agent in bakery applications, with no alteration of the taste profile. Because of their moisture retention abilities, potato products slow the drying affect associated with staling.
Texture Enhancer	At inclusion levels of around 10%, dehydrated potatoes will produce end-products with a unique potato flavor and soft eating characteristics. For instance, the addition of potato flakes to recipes will create a moister texture for cakes, doughnuts, breads, rolls and pastry items. Added to snacks, they aid in creating a light, crispy texture.
Thickening Agent	Add potato flakes or granules directly from the package to broths, gravies, sauces stews to thicken. Flakes may be more forgiving than flour, which can create lumps.
Uniformity	Dehydrated potato flakes and granules can be used in salty snacks such as fabricated chips, to create a more uniform shape. Dehydrated diced potatoes can be used in soups and other dishes for the same reason.
Yield Improvement	The weight of added potatoes and the resulting absorption increases for hydration may increase dough yield for baked goods.