MXPA01009328A - Amylopectin potato flakes or granules and their use in snack foods - Google Patents

Abstract

Snack foods are prepared, at least in part, from potato flakes and/or potato granules which are derivable from potatoes in which the starch has a higher than normal amylopectin content, for example, waxy potatoes. The snack foods have improved texture and appearance.

Description

SCALES OR GRANULES OF POPE AMILOPECTIN AND Sü USE IN REFRIGERATED FOODS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to snack foods. More particularly, it relates to snack foods that include dehydrated potatoes, and to their preparation. Snack foods made from potatoes are well known and available in a wide variety of forms and flavors. One form of snack food derived from potatoes are roasted potatoes, known in the United States as potato chips, which are commonly prepared by slicing potatoes and frying slices. The preparation of snack foods is also known when preparing a dough from dehydrated potato material, forming the dough into pieces of desired shape, for example, by rolling and subsequently cutting the dough sheet, or by extrusion and then frying or baking of the shaped dough pieces. The production of snack foods from dehydrated potato material has the advantages that it is easier to maintain the consistency of the product during the year, in spite of the variations of the season of the potatoes and that a variety can be elaborated relatively easily. wide of REF: 132921 forms. Potato flakes and potato granules are dehydrated potato forms which are particularly suitable for use in the preparation of snack foods. US5,429,834 describes the preparation of snack products from a dough, based on ingredients such as potatoes which have a high starch content but lack gluten. It is suggested that the elasticity of such masses can be increased by adding a pregelatinized waxy starch such as pregelatinized waxy maize starch. Despite the wide variety of potato snack foods available now, the demand for improved snack foods remains, for example, potato snack foods that have an improved texture. The present invention provides a snack food comprising potato flakes with a high content of amylopectin or potato granules with a high amylopectin content, or both. Plant starch commonly consists of two types of glucose polymer, amylopectin and amylose. Amylopectin is highly branched and has a very high degree of polymerization, for example of about 2,000,000. In contrast, amylose is linear or slightly branched and has a lower degree of polymerization, from about 1000 to 5000. These differences in structure lead to significant differences in properties between a ilopectin and amylose. For example, amylopectin is highly soluble, in water and forms clear gels of reasonably stable viscosity. It is considered that this is because its high degree of branching prevents the ordering of the molecules in solution. In contrast, amylose crystallizes rapidly from aqueous solutions. It is found that the properties of starch from a given source will depend on the ratio of amylopectin to amylose. There are natural varieties of some cereals such as corn and rice in which the starch is substantially all amylopectin, with less than 5% and usually less than 2% amylose. Corn, whose starch consists of 100% amylopectin, is known as waxy corn and waxy corn starch has been found, since the 1940s, many applications, mainly in the production of paper, but also as a thickener in food. EP 0,314,320 A1 discloses snack foods which comprise a waxy maize dough and which are set to have a different texture from equivalent foods made with split corn. However, waxy corn material other than isolated starch has not found wide application in snack foods.

Potato starch typically consists of approximately 20% amylose and 80% amylopectin, although this ratio varies slightly according to potato variety and growing conditions. References herein to a normal content of amylopectin in potato starch is intended to imply an amylopectin content of about 80% ± 3%, based on dry weight. Currently, there are no known natural varieties of potato in which the starch consists substantially completely of amylopectin. For some years, however, genetically modified potato plants have been genetically available which produce potatoes in which substantially all of the starch consists of amylopectin. EP 0,703,314 A and the references therein describe genetically modified amylopectin potatoes (known as "waxy potatoes") and the use of amylopectin potato starch separated from these potatoes as well as a wet end additive in papermaking. EP 0 799,837 A discloses the preparation of an aqueous composition comprising amylopectin potato starch in combination with an emulsifier and suggests that such compositions may find application in products having a gel structure, for example, food products such as puddings, jellies and custards or custards or in foods that have the form of viscous liquids such as sauces, creams and soups. EP 0,703,314A and EP 0 799,837A describe applications of the starch isolated from waxy potatoes. In contrast, the present invention is related, not with the separated starch, but with the use of the whole potato (except the shell) in the form of flakes or potato granules, or both. The expression "high amylopectin potato flakes" and "high amylopectin content" potato granules, as used herein, should be understood to mean potato flakes or granules, respectively, prepared from potatoes of the wherein the starch has an amylopectin content of 85% or more, advantageously 90% or more, preferably 95% or more, and most preferably 98% or more, based on dry weight. The flakes and granules are therefore richer in amylopectin than the flakes and granules made from the natural potato varieties currently known. Although waxy starch in the form of isolated starch, for example, pregelatinized waxy maize starch, is known as an additive for potato masses, the use of such starch as the sole solid component in a dough has been found to be unsatisfactory and which leads to a highly uniform continuous starch matrix with a relatively hard structure. The moisture is released only slowly during cooking, which leads to a very uniform structure, but little expanded, with a harder texture compared to a dough made with a potato flake with a high content of amylopectin. The use of potato flakes or granules with high content of amylopectin, or both, according to the present invention, has been found to provide a more expanded product with an improved texture when compared to snacks prepared using potato flakes or granules, or both, that have a normal concentration of amylopectin. The increased expansion and improved texture are unexpected, as snack foods prepared from pieces of potatoes with high amylopectin content (ie, from a high amylopectin potato material that has not been dehydrated) have been found which does not have the improved properties of the snack foods, according to the invention. It is considered that these improved qualities result from the use of potato flakes or granules, or both, in which there is a combination of pregelatinized starch with a high amylopectin content within a potato cell structure that remains partially intact. It is further considered that this is partly due to the onset of vitreous transition during cooking that can be retarded in a snack food of the invention because the vitreous transition occurs in amylopectin at a given temperature, with a lower water content compared to amylose. During the cooking of a snack food, the starch is initially in a rubbery state, but as the boiling water is removed, the moisture content decreases and the starch finally goes to a vitreous state, after which, it is considered that substantially the expansion of the snack food ceases. This transition will be subsequently produced in potato starches with a high content of amylopectin compared to normal potato starch, thus allowing an increased time to expand. The use of potato flakes or granules with high amylopectin content, or both, according to the present invention, has also been found to improve the appearance of a snack food. In particular, the surface characteristics of the snack food are such that the surfaces are more reflective and can be described as more "glossy" compared to comparable products made from conventional potato flakes. Methods for making potato flakes and granules are well known in the art and are discussed in "Potato Processing", 4th edition, editors W.S. Talburt and 0. Smith, AVI, United States, 1987. Preferably, the high amylopectin potato content of the snack food is substantially all in the form of potato flakes. Methods for making potato flakes are typically found in two process categories, which are respectively known as the low (or single-stage) ling process and the conventional or standard (or three-stage) process. In both processes, potatoes are peeled and sliced before heat treatment. In the process of low ling, the sliced potato is cooked in hot water or steam (for example at 95 ° C to 100 ° C for 15 to 30 minutes) and then milled. In the standard process, the sliced potatoes are heated in hot water or steam (for example at 70 ° C for 20 minutes), then cooled (for example at 20 ° C for 20 minutes), cooked (for example at 95 ° C to 100 ° C for 15 to 30 minutes) and crushed. In both processes, the crushed potato is drum dried into a thin sheet then ground to produce the potato flakes. Optionally, an emulsifier can be added to the crushed potato before being drum dried. The main difference between flakes made by low leaching and conventional or standard processes is the concentration of free soluble starch, which can be measured spectrophotometrically after complexing with iodine (blue value). The low leach flakes have a higher concentration of free soluble starch (ie, more starch than the outer residual intact potato cells). In making snacks, they can lead to thicker or thicker doughs and more expanded products. Methods for making potato granules typically include the steps of cooking potato slices until the starch has completely gelatinized, mixing the cooked potato with previously dry granules and then drying the mixture. Potato cells remain predominantly intact during the manufacturing process and the concentration of free soluble starch is generally relatively low compared to a potato flake preparation in which a significantly higher proportion of the potato cells are broken. The snack food may advantageously also comprise potato flakes or other dehydrated potatoes derived from potatoes of which the starch has a normal content of amylopectin. This allows adjusting the amylopectin content of the snack food and therefore additional control of the texture of the product. In principle it is also possible to prepare potato flakes or granules or both, which have a range of amylopectin content by combining two or more types of potatoes that have different amylopectin contents, for example a potato with amylopectin (waxy) and a normal potato , before dehydration. Although it is within the scope of the invention, such a combination is not considered advantageous due to the difficulty of obtaining a consistent product when cooking and drying combinations of potato types. Preferably, at least 5%, and more preferably at least 10% by weight of the snack food are derived from flakes or granules, or both, of potatoes with high concentration of amylopectin. Advantageously, at least 20%, and even more advantageously 50% by weight of the snack food is derived from flakes or granules with a high content of amylopectin. Preferably, the snack food comprises one or more cereal flours. The added cereal flours, which can modify the texture and flavor of the snack food, may include one or more, for example, of wheat, corn, rice, oat or buckwheat flours. Preferably, the snack food also comprises one or more additives which are commonly used in the preparation of snack foods, for example flavors or flavors, cheese, yeasts including chemical yeasts, glucose, maltodextrin, sugar, malt, whey, gluten , oil or fat and emulsifiers. Typically, these ingredients will be used in amounts not greater than 10% of the dry weight of the snack food although, when appropriate, they may represent a larger amount of dry weight. In particular, the cheese may be present in amounts of up to 20% dry weight. The amount of oil or fat added can vary widely and, if desired, can be greater than 20% by dry weight. Preferably, the snack food is a fried snack food. Fried snack foods are well known but, in the frying process, there is a tendency for fried oil to be caught by the snack food and, although oil or fat may improve the texture and mouthfeel of the food of refreshment, its presence can be considered undesirable for reasons of health or diet. Preferably, the snack is a baked snack food. Snack foods that have a decreased content of oil or fat can be made by baking instead of or in addition to a frying step. However, such snack foods are generally found to have a hard and unpalatable texture. In contrast, the snack foods of the present invention have a smooth, relatively expanded texture and therefore the invention allows the preparation of potato snack foods which are palatable even when the oil or fat content is relatively low. . The snack food may be an extruded snack food, that is, the snack food may be prepared by extrusion, especially cold extrusion. In cold extrusion, the dough is formed by pushing it under pressure through a die, with the extruded material cut into individual pieces and cooked in a subsequent stage. Potato chips or granules, or both, can be used in combination with isolated starch. Preferably, the isolated starch is a waxy starch. Advantageously, the waxy starch is a pregelatinized starch, such as pregelatinized waxy potato starch. Advantageously, the snack food according to the invention comprises a maximum of 25% by weight of pregelatinized waxy potato starch. Preferably, the snack food comprises a maximum of 10% pregelatinized waxy potato starch. As mentioned above, potato flakes or granules, or both, with high content of amylopectin are prepared from potatoes of which the starch consists of at least 85% amylopectin and which therefore has a ratio of amylopectin. which is greater than 80% commonly found in known natural potato varieties. Such potatoes are referred to herein as "potatoes with high concentration of amylopectin". Potatoes produced by genetically modified potato plants and having a range of amylose content from 0% to 23% are mentioned in an article by Bruinenberg, P. M. et al. in Chemistry &; Industry, November 1995, page 881 to page 884.

Preferably, the flakes or granules, or both, with a high concentration of amylopectin are derived from potatoes of genetically modified potato plants. However, it may be essential that potato flakes or granules, or both, with high concentration of amylopectin be made from potatoes produced by genetically modified potato plants if adequate designed plants are obtained by conventional breeding. It is especially advantageous if the potato flakes or granules, or both, with high concentration of amylopectin have a starch content which is substantially all of amylopectin. Preferably, the potato flakes or granules, or both, are prepared from potatoes from genetically modified potato plants derived from any variety suitable for the preparation of a snack such as Saturna. Saturna potatoes (which include their modified counterparts) can be stored for up to 9 months at 9 ° C without accumulating reducing sugars to a degree that makes them unsuitable for use in the preparation of potato dehydrated. Preferably, the potato flakes or granules, or both, with high concentration of amylopectin, are formed from potatoes having a maximum of 5% dry weight of reducing sugars. The higher contents of reducing sugar are considered unsuitable for use in the preparation of snack foods because, during cooking, the reducing sugars can undergo the Maular reaction to provide a dark color and products with a bitter taste. For snack foods which are derived in part from additional ingredients that do not contain significant amounts of reducing sugars, it will naturally be possible for the potato flakes or granules, or both, to have a correspondingly higher reducing sugar content. The invention also provides potato flakes having a starch content which consists of at least 85% amylopectin. Preferably, the potato flakes have a starch content which consists of at least 90%, preferably at least 95% and most preferably at least 98% amylopectin. The invention also provides potato granules having a starch content which consists of at least 85% amylopectin. Preferably, the potato granules have a starch content which consists of at least 90%, preferably at least 95% and most preferably at least 98% amylopectin. In another aspect, the invention also provides the use of potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin or potato granules with high concentration of amylopectin or both, to increase the expansion of the snack food.

The invention also provides a method for preparing a snack food comprising the steps of forming a dough comprising potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin or potato granules with high concentration of amylopectin, or both, and cooking this dough to provide a snack food. Advantageously, the method also comprises the step of forming the dough into pieces of desired shape before cooking. The step of forming the dough into pieces of desired shape may involve forming the dough into a sheet and cutting the shaped pieces of the sheet. The step of forming the dough into pieces of desired shape can be an extrusion step. It will normally be preferred that the snack food, according to the invention, have a moisture content not exceeding 4%, and more preferably not exceeding 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the food of refreshment. The conditions of the cooking stage and in particular the time and temperature, will generally be selected so as to reduce the moisture content to the desired amount. The preparation of numerous snack foods is described in Examples 1 to 7, which illustrate the invention.

Example 1 Three masses of the following composition are prepared: g% of approximate dry mix Potato flakes with low leaching * 1740 98.4 Oil 15 0.9 Combination of fatty acid esters of monoglyceride and diglyceride 5 0.3 Salt 8.5 0.5 Water 1300 a) Three different compositions of low leaching potato flakes are used for the three masses, which are respectively 100% normal potato flakes, a 1: 1 mixture of normal potato flakes and potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin or 100% potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin. Potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin are prepared entirely from modified Saturna potatoes having a starch content consisting of substantially 100% amylopectin and normal potato flakes prepared from conventional Saturna potatoes. The dry ingredients are mixed together in a Stephan UM12 mixer for 30 seconds before adding oil and an emulsifier for a period of 15 seconds, water is gradually added over a period of one minute and further mixed for a total time of 3 minutes. The masses are then rolled to a thickness of approximately 0.8 mm, placed in piles and cut into round pieces with a diameter of 20 mm. Some of the shaped pieces are then fried at 165 ° C until the moisture content is below 2%. Other shaped pieces are baked at 250 ° C until the moisture content is below 2%. It is found that an increase in the proportion of potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin provide more expanded and open products when fried and when baked.

Example 2 They are prepared according to the method provided in Example 1 three masses of the following composition that have combinations of 0: 1, 1: 1 and 1: 0 of the is normal beds is potato and is potato beds with at ta concentration of amylopectin: Approximate dry mix% Potato flakes with low leaching 1740 93.4 Oil 15 0.8 Emulsifier 5 0.3 Salt 8.5 0.5 Native potato starch 93 5 Water 1300 The masses are shaped as in Example 1 and the shaped pieces are baked at 240 ° C until the moisture content is below 2%. The elasticity, shortness and thickness of the masses are determined and a rating is assigned using a scale of 0 to 5. For elasticity, 0 corresponds to a lack of elasticity and 5 corresponds to an immediate elasticity; for the short condition, 0 corresponds to a viscous mass (i.e., a mass that is difficult to separate) and 5 corresponds to a crumbly mass; and for adhesion, O corresponds to a non-sticky mass and corresponds to an extremely sticky mass to the touch. A combination of a short condition 2 to 4 and an elasticity of 2 to 4 is desirable since such masses are easier to handle. Each dough is also classified with respect to the total consistency of the dough on a scale of 1 to 9. Baked snack foods are subjected to sensory evaluation and measurement and the results are given in Table 1. The sensory evaluation is carried out by a team of ten selected, trained and experienced people who are asked to indicate their determination of various sensory characteristics by making an appropriate point on a line that ranges from 0 to 100. Samples are tested in an authorized order to eliminate errors systematic due to the flavor order and under an anonymous coding that eliminates deviations.

Table 1: Test results of the baked snack foods of Example 2 - or (a) The elasticity, friability and tackiness of the dough are classified on a scale of 0 to 5 points. (b) The score is a result between 1 and 9 provided to the mass based on a "Mass rating scale" indicated in EP 0 324 460 Bl. (c) The height (mm) is an average of 20 measurements made on the height of a baked piece. The higher the height, the greater the product expansion. (d) The hardness of an initial cut (soft = 0, hard = 100), the open condition (closed = 0, open = 100), the decomposition rate (RoB) (slow = 0, fast = 100), uniform of the paste (particulate = 0; smooth = 100 and brightness is (matt = 0; bright = 100), are sensory attributes measured by a team of expert tasters .The results given in the table are average values. 3 Six masses are prepared by the method of Example 1, according to the following composition: g% dry mix Potato flakes with low leaching 1470 78 Oil 15 0.8 Emulsifier 5 '0.3 Salt 8.5 0.5 Starch ™ 372 20 Water 1300 a) Low leaching potato flakes are used either as 100% normal potato flakes or a 1: 1 combination of normal potato flakes and potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin. b) The four potato starches are used as follows: native non-waxy; non-waxy pregelatinized; native waxy and pregelatinized waxy. The doughs are shaped and baked as in Example 2. The baked snack foods are tested and the results are given in Table 2.

Table 2: Test Results of the Baked Snack Food of Example 3 (JO (a) The elasticity, friability and tackiness of the dough are classified on a scale of 0 to 5 points. (b) The score is a result between 1 and 9 provided to the mass based on a "Mass rating scale" indicated in EP 0 324 460 Bl. < c) The height (mm) is an average of 20 measurements made on the height of a baked piece. The higher the height, the greater the product expansion. (d) The hardness, open condition and rate of decomposition (RoB), the uniformity of the paste and the brightness are sensory attributes measured by a team of expert tasters. The results provided in the table are average values. 4 Snack foods are prepared, according to the process of Example 2, but low leaching potato flakes are replaced with conventional or standard potato flakes. The results of the measurements carried out on the baked snack foods are given in Table 3.

Table 3: Results of the tests carried out on the snack foods of Example 4 (a) The elasticity, friability and thickness of the dough are classified on a scale of points from 0 to 5. (b) The rating is a record between 1 and 9 that is provided to the dough based on a "Mass Classification Scale" which is indicated in EP 0 324 460 Bl.

Potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin prepared by the standard processes are found to provide more open baked products with improved rinsing and rinsing unmatched with snack foods prepared using normal potato flakes that are prepared by conventional or standard process .

Example 5 Snack foods are prepared using potato flakes in combination with wheat flour, for the following composition: g of dry mix Potato flakes with low leaching 863 45 Flour (biscuit type, low in protein) 933 49 Fat 95 5 Emulsifier < t > ) 8.6 0.5 Salt 8.6 0.5 Agualcl 1107 ,: 1254 ta) Two different compositions are used for the low leaching flakes for the two masses, the first is 100% normal potato flakes and the other is high flakes in 100% amylopectin concentration. Scales with a high concentration of amylopectin are as described in Example 1. (b) The emulsifier used is from DATEM (di-acetyltartaric acid esters of monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids). (c) The concentration of water used is the lowest concentration for normal potato flakes and the highest concentration for high concentration amylopectin flakes.The dry ingredients are mixed together in a Hobart mixer (CC / DD 12 BM EG JN5) for 30 s at a speed 1 before adding water, followed by the fat and the emulsifier. The whole mass is then mixed for a total of 6 min at a speed of 2. The masses are then shaped and baked as described in Example 2. It is found that the flake products with high concentration of amylopectin provide more expansion (height of piece of 1.3 mm compared to 0.9 mm) and are softer, more open and with an improved fusion in the mouth. 6 Potato flakes are used in combination with corn polenta (fine cornmeal) to produce baked goods, with the following composition: % dry mix Potato flakes with low lixiviation'31 863 45 Polenta of fine corn 933 49 Fat 95 5 Emulsifier "3 '8 .6 0 .5 Salt 8 6 0. 5 Water (c) 1107,: 1254 (a) Two different compositions are used for the low leaching flakes for the two masses, the first is 100% normal potato flakes and the other is high flakes in 100% amylopectin concentration. The flakes with a high concentration of amylopectin are as described in Example 1. (b) The emulsifier used is from DATEM (di-acetyltartaric acid esters of monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids). (c) The concentration of water used is the lowest concentration for normal potato flakes and the highest concentration for high concentration amylopectin flakes. The masses are prepared as described in Example 5. The masses are then shaped and baked as described in Example 2. It is found that the flake products with high amylopectin concentration provide a greater total expansion (piece height of 1.3). mm compared to 0.8 mm) and the expansion is more uniform. The products are softer, are more open and with an improved fusion in the mouth and a quicker rinse.

Example 7 Refresh products are elaborated through a conforming extruder, the masses used incorporate potato schemes in the following formulation: g% dry mix Standard or standard potato flakes (a) 400 22 Normal potato granules 570 31 Native potato starch 845 46 Salt 3.75 0.2 Water 1150 (a) Two different conventional or standard potato flake compositions are used for the two masses, the first is 100% normal potato flakes and the other is is of high flakes in 100% amylopectin concentration (produced from modified Saturna potatoes having substantially all amylopectin). The dry ingredients are combined and mixed for 2 min (same mixer as described in Example 5) at speed 1. The water is then added while mixing for a period of 30 s, mixing is continued for a total mixing time 4 min. 600 g of mass is used to load the extruder barrel of a piston extruder, then 1 kg of mass is added to the barrel and extracted by extrusion at a pressure of 60 bar through a die. The extrudate is cut into pieces at a cutting speed of 1750 rpm. The pieces are fried at 190 ° C until the moisture content is less than 2%. The mass containing flakes with high concentration of amylopectin extruded faster than those containing normal flakes (1.6 kg min "1 compared to 0.6 kg min" 1), therefore, provide better process performance. Potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin provide more open, more expanded snack products with a softer but more crunchy texture. The expansion of the extruded snacks using the flakes with high concentration of amylopectin is increased by 7%. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (31)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. A snack food, characterized in that it comprises potato beds with high amylopectin concentration or potato granules with high concentration of amylopectin, or both.

2. The food product, according to claim 1, characterized in that the content of potatoes with high concentration of amylopectin is substantially all in the form of potato flakes.

3. The snack food, according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises potato flakes or other dehydrated potatoes derived from potatoes of which the starch has a normal amylopectin content.

4. The snack food according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least 5% by weight of the snack food is derived from the flakes or granules or both, of potato with high concentration of amylopectin.

5. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it also comprises one or more cereal flours.

6. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it also comprises one or more additives typically used in the preparation of snack foods.

7. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the snack food is a fried snack food.

8. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the snack food is a baked snack food.

9. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the snack food is an extruded snack food.

10. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it also comprises an isolated starch.

11. The snack food, according to claim 10, characterized in that the isolated starch is a waxy starch.

12. The snack food, according to claim 11, characterized in that the waxy starch is a pregelatinized waxy starch.

13. The snack food, according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a maximum of 25% by weight of pregelatinized waxy potato starch.

14. The snack food, according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises a maximum of 10% by weight of pregelatinized waxy potato starch.

15. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the flakes or granules or both, of potato, with high concentration of amylopectin are prepared from potatoes of genetically modified potato plants.

16. The snack food, according to claim 15, characterized in that the modified potato plants are derived from the Saturna variety.

17. The snack food, according to any of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the flakes or granules or both, of potatoes with high concentration of amylopectin are derived from potatoes having a maximum of 5% dry weight of reducing sugars.

18. Potato flakes, characterized because they have a starch content which consists of at least 85% amylopectin.

19. The potato flakes, according to claim 18, characterized in that the starch content consists of at least 90% amylopectin.

20. Potato granules, characterized because they have a starch content which consists of at least 85% amylopectin.

21. Potato granules, according to claim 20, characterized in that the starch content consists of at least 90% amylopectin.

22. The use of potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin or potato granules with high amylopectin concentration, to increase the expression of a snack food.

23. A method for preparing a snack food, characterized in that it comprises the steps of forming a dough comprising potato flakes with high concentration of amylopectin or potato granules with high concentration of amylopectin and cooking this dough to provide a snack food.

24. The method of conformity with claim 23, characterized in that it also comprises the step of forming the dough into pieces of desired shape before cooking.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the step of forming the dough into pieces of desired shape involves forming the dough into a sheet and cutting the shaped pieces from the sheet.

26. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the step of forming the mass into pieces of desired shape is an extrusion step.

27. The method according to any of claims 23 to 26, characterized in that in the stage of forming the mass, the flakes or granules or both, with high concentration of amylopectin are added in an amount such that it comprises at least 10% of the weight dry of the dough.

28. The method according to any of claims 23 to 27, characterized in that the step of forming the dough, add one or more cereal flours.

29. The method according to any of claims 23 to 28, characterized in that the cooking step comprises a frying step.

30. The method according to any of claims 23 to 29, characterized in that the cooking step comprises the baking step.

31. The method according to any of claims 23 to 28, characterized in that the cooking step comprises the cooking by extrusion.