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Does soaking fries in vinegar before blanching work better than blanching in vinegar water?

Acidity de-activates pectinase, so it should toughen up the outside, while leaving the inside intact to gelitinise later. I have info and done some experiments with parboiling in vinegar water, and this works, but theoretically a cold vinegar soak should work better, because it leaves the inside alone. Does anyone have data or refs or thoughts?

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    why do you think that? Before I do the experiments and prepare hundreds of batches varying all I can think of to vary, it is nice to have some understanding of the theory behind it. That is what I am doing now, and THAT was my question.
    – Marc Luxen
    Jan 15, 2016 at 10:14
  • Again, not even remotely an answer to my question. And you seem to underestimate permutation number in experimental conditions Lets see how many batches: type o f potato 3 soak no soak 2 Precook no precook 2 Salt levels 3 Vinager levels 3 First fry no first fry 2 Freeze no freeze 2 that is 3x2x2x3x3x2x2= yeah couple of hundred.
    – Marc Luxen
    Jan 15, 2016 at 12:53

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I have not come across this pectinase idea before.

Acidity only inhibits the enzyme activity. Would it not be better to denature the pectinase with heat (and acidity as insurance)? So, a short dip in a very hot acidic bath is better. I do not have the temperature for pectinase off the top of my head, but I imagine that it would be 70C or higher, very briefly. But bear in mind that acid will also inhibit maillard and caramelisation.

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