During the potato chips processing process, the operating status of the potato chips equipment directly determines the appearance, taste, and yield of the finished product. If the equipment malfunctions, it will not only affect the quality of the potato chips but may also lead to raw material waste and production downtime losses. So, what are common problems with chips machines?
1. The frying is uneven, and the potato chips are not crispy.
Common causes:
Unstable temperature control of the fryer, resulting in significant oil temperature fluctuations.
Uneven distribution of materials in the fryer, leading to localized accumulation.
Inappropriate frying time settings.
Inconsistent thickness of raw material slices, resulting in uneven heating.
Solution:
Check and calibrate the fryer’s temperature control system to ensure the oil temperature remains stable at 170–190℃.
Use a continuous fryer equipped with automatic conveying and turning devices to ensure the potato chips are heated evenly.
Adjust the frying time according to the thickness of the potato chips to avoid over-frying.
Start from the slicing process at the beginning of the production line to ensure consistent potato chip thickness.
2. Inconsistent potato chip thickness
Common causes:
Worn or improperly installed slicing machine blades
Inaccurate adjustment of blade gap
Significant variations in potato size, without proper sorting/grading
Solutions:
Regularly inspect and replace worn blades to ensure sharp cutting edges.
Recalibrate the slicing thickness adjustment device.
Add a potato grading process before slicing to ensure more uniform raw material size.
3. Potato chips have a high oil content and a greasy texture.
Common causes:
Insufficient rotation speed or operating time of the oil removal machine
Low frying temperature, leading to increased oil absorption by the potato chips
Aging oil with increased viscosity
Solution:
Adjust the rotation speed and de-oiling time of the centrifugal oil separator.
Ensure the frying temperature is within a reasonable range.
Filter or replace the cooking oil regularly to maintain its cleanliness.
4. Potato chips have inconsistent color or appear blackened.
Common causes:
High sugar content in raw potatoes
Frying temperature is too high or frying time is too long
Insufficient pre-treatment (blanching)
Solutions:
Select low-sugar varieties of potatoes as raw materials.
Control frying temperature and time to avoid excessive browning.
Increase blanching or color preservation treatment before frying to reduce reducing sugar content.
5. High potato chip breakage rate
Common causes:
Conveyor belt speed is too fast or the drop is too large
The de-oiling and seasoning processes are too vigorous
Solutions:
Adjust the conveyor belt speed to reduce unnecessary drops.
Optimize the structural design of de-oiling and seasoning equipment.
If you encounter other problems during the use of potato chips equipment, you can contact us through the following methods.
