# Lemon juice pretreatment as a strategy to preserve the quality and enhance the texture of cooked potato slices of different sizes

## TL;DR

Lemon juice pretreatment improves texture, flavor, and nutrition of cooked potato slices of different sizes.

## Contribution

A novel, sustainable pretreatment method using lemon juice to enhance cooked potato quality is proposed.

## Key findings

- Lemon juice pretreatment improved texture, mouthfeel, and overall acceptability of cooked potato slices.
- Pretreatment increased vitamin C and total phenolic contents while preserving color.
- Consumer sensory evaluations showed positive responses to lemon juice-treated samples.

## Abstract

Potatoes are an important food crop worldwide and are rich in essential nutrients. However, cooking can reduce their nutritional value and alter their texture. This study aimed to investigate the impact of pretreating potato slices with lemon juice. The slices were immersed in 5% lemon juice solution for 3 h, rinsed with distilled water for another 3 h, then cooked at 100°C for 20 min. Findings revealed that lemon juice pretreatment (LJP) notably improved the texture, mouthfeel, and overall acceptability of the cooked potato slices of different sizes (CPS-Ds). Additionally, LJP significantly increased vitamin C and total phenolic contents, slightly decreased pH levels, and preserved the desired color of CPS-Ds. Consumer sensory evaluations also indicated a positive response to LJP samples, suggesting its potential application in the food industry. The study confirmed that LJP is an effective, sustainable, consumer-friendly, and cost-efficient technique for improving the quality of cooked potato slices.

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•Lemon juice improves the texture, flavor, and nutrition of potato slices.•Immersing potato slices in 5 % lemon juice significantly improves their quality.•Lemon juice pretreatment acts as a natural food preservative for potatoes.•Pretreatment increases vitamin C and phenolic contents in cooked potatoes.

Lemon juice improves the texture, flavor, and nutrition of potato slices.

Immersing potato slices in 5 % lemon juice significantly improves their quality.

Lemon juice pretreatment acts as a natural food preservative for potatoes.

Pretreatment increases vitamin C and phenolic contents in cooked potatoes.