*Author for correspondence Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 11(6), DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2018/v11i6/117046, February 2018 ISSN (Print) : 0974-6846 ISSN (Online) : 0974-5645 Efect of Deep Fat Frying on the Mass Transfer and Color Changes of Arepa Con Huevo Jose David Torres-Gonzalez 1* , Armando Alvis-Bermudez 2 , Luis Alberto Gallo-Garcia 3 , Diofanor Acevedo-Correa 3 , Francisco Castellanos-Galeano 4 and Pedro Bouchon-Aguirre 1 1 Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, P.O. Box 306, Santiago 8940000, Chile; jdtorres2@uc.cl, pbouchon@ing.puc.cl 2 Faculty of Engineering, University of Cordoba, Km 3 via Cerete, Monteria 232527, Colombia; aalvis@hotmail.com 3 Faculty of Engineering, University of Cartagena, Piedra de Bolivar Av. El Consulado, Street 30. No. 48 - 152. 130015; lgallog1992@hotmail.com, diofanor3000@gmail.com 4 Faculty of Engineering. University of Caldas, Street 65 Nº 26 - 10, Manizales 170008, Colombia; francisco.castella- nos@ucaldas.edu.co Keywords: Arepa con huevo, Deep Fat Frying, Lightness, Moisture, Oil Absorption Abstract Objectives: To study the effect of deep fat frying on the mass transfer and color changes of ArepaCon Huevo. Methods: The product was prepared as a round plate (diameter: 10 cm and thickness: 2.5 cm). Palm oil was used in a 7 L fryer at 170, 180 °C and 190°C under a ratio of 250 g sample/L oil. Findings: Moisture content decreased as time and temperature increased (p<0.05). Da coefficients in increased order of temperature were: (1.75 ± 0.01, 3.56 ± 0.08 and 5.03 ± 0.06 x10 -7 ) m 2 /s, with k c values of (4.26 ± 0.31, 6.31 ± 0.45 y 9.58 ± 0.81) m/s. The activation energy calculated with Arrhenius equation was 63.96 kJ/mol. The rate of oil absorption was higher at low temperatures, with values of (1.28 ± 0.06, 0.77 ± 0.02 and 0.67 ± 0.04 x 10 -3 ) s -1 and an activation energy of 50.66 kJ/mol. Lightness (L*) decreased with increasing factors, varying from 75.02 ± 3.42 (before frying) to 46.82 ± 2.28 at 190 °C. This was attributed to the non-enzymatic browning at high temperatures. Application: Understand mass transfer parameter is important in order to optimize the frying processing of ArepaCon Huevo. 1. Introduction Deep-fat frying is one of the oldest procedures for food preparation. It can be deined as a special type of cooking using edible oil at a temperature above the boiling point of water. his temperature generally oscillates between 120°C and 210°C, with 150°C-190°C the most commonly used range 1-2 . he purpose of deep fat frying is to seal the food in hot oil in order to keep lavor and juices within a crunchy cortex and a humid cooked inside 3 . he char- acteristics of the cortex of fried products are results of the vitreous conditions of low-moisture starch (less than 2%) 4 . Oil immersion is a complex process that involves simultaneous heat and mass transfer, which results in the formation of water vapor (bubbles) and oil countercur- rent lows on the surface of food 5-6 . Some other changes that are caused by the frying procedure include: gelati- nization of starch, denaturalization of proteins, breaking of cell adhesion (middle lamella) and development of gold coloration, which is one of the decisive attributes for consumer acceptability 7 . In addition, temperatures allow enzymatic deactivation, reduction of intra-cellular air and destruction of pathogenic microorganisms, thus extending food shelf life 8 . Several experimental models of diferent complex- ity have been proposed with the purpose of describing