Percent retention of vitamin C in whipped potatoes after pre-service holding

Pre-service holding is an important but neglected process step within the conventional food service systems. Dehydrated potatoes (50 one-half-cup servings) were reconstituted, mixed, transferred to a pan, covered, weighed, and placed into a pre-service holding unit for 60 min. at 82 degrees C (179 degrees F) with a 50% RH. Although temperature and time were constantly monitored, statistically significant differences were found for temperatures in both the product and the equipment . Samples of whipped potatoes analyzed for vitamin C were significantly different among the five trials of the experiment, but no differences were found among the three areas in the pan. The mean loss of 36.2% vitamin C under controlled conditions in the laboratory suggests that losses that occur under daily operating conditions in a food service can be much more severe.