Characterisation of pore properties of deep‐fat‐fried chicken nuggets breading coating using mercury intrusion porosimetry technique

The objective of this study was to characterise the pore properties of deep‐fat‐fried chicken nuggets coating under different processing conditions namely frying temperatures (170, 180 and 190 °C) and time (0–240 s) using porosimetry technique. Porosity range obtained was between 39.93 and 68.99%. Porosity of the freeze‐dried samples decreased with frying time. The main effect of temperature on porosity was significant (P < 0.05). Porosity showed a high positive and negative correlation with moisture and fat contents, and the correlation coefficients ranged between 0.88 and 0.96 and 0.78 and 0.8, respectively. Bulk density increased with frying time, while apparent density was relatively the same. Pore distribution showed bimodality. There was no significant effect of temperature on pore size distribution. Over 70% of the pore volume is made up of pores greater than 1 μm. Pore volume ranged between 0.54 and 1.5 cm³ g^?1, and it decreased with frying time. Mean pore diameter was between 0.006 and 389 μm, while with frying time, it ranged between 0.25 and 8.32 μm. Total pore area was between 2.53 and 16.53 m² g^?1. Hysteresis phenomenon showed that some of the pores were not perfectly cylindrical in shape.     

Microstructural evaluation of deep-fat fried chicken nugget batter coating using confocal laser scanning microscopy

Porosity and pore size distribution are very important microstructural properties of fried foods needed in process optimization and product development. The objective of this study was to characterize the pore properties and quantify fat distribution in deep-fat fried chicken nuggets batter coating using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Samples were fried at three temperatures namely 170, 180 and 190 °C. Detached batter coatings were stained non-covalently and 2-D images were obtained at fluorescence and reflection modes of the microscope. The images were analyzed for fat and pore distribution. Fat distribution obtained from image analysis was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the frying temperature and time, and it decreased within the depth of the sample thickness. There was a strong correlation between fat distribution and fat content obtained by the conventional method at two temperatures, 180 and 190 °C. Porosity ranged between 4.97% and 32.7% and was significantly influenced by frying temperature. Pore size varied approximately between 1.20 and 550 μm. Frying process led to the formation of more micropores (pores < 40 μm) and bigger (pore ? 216 μm) pores.     

Effects of type of packaging material on physicochemical and sensory characteristics of deep‐fat‐fried banana chips

A storage study of deep‐fat‐fried banana chips was carried out for 8 weeks at ambient temperature (27 °C), using four types of packaging material: laminated aluminium foil (LAF), oriented polypropylene (OPP), polypropylene (PP) and low‐density polyethylene (LDPE). The physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the stored banana chips were analysed at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8. The quality parameters determined were moisture content, water activity (a_w), thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBARS), texture (breaking force), colour and sensory attributes. The moisture content, a_w, TBARS and breaking force values of all samples increased during storage. The colour also changed during storage, showing higher L and lower a and b values. Samples packed in LAF had the lowest moisture content, a_w, TBARS and breaking force values. The most notable sensory change that occurred during storage was a decrease in crispness. Samples packed in LAF had higher scores than the other three samples, whilst LDPE gave the lowest scores for crispness as well as product colour. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in rancid odour among samples packed in OPP, PP and LDPE. However, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) between samples packed in LAF and the other three samples, with LAF giving the lowest rancid odour. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

配方和预干燥时间对油炸裹层面糊含水量、含油量的影响

为了解裹层配方、油炸时间和预处理条件对油炸裹层吸油量的影响,研究了烘箱预干燥0、15和30min的四种(纯小麦粉,添加羟丙基甲基纤维素(HPMC),添加黄原胶和添加鱼鳞胶原蛋白)配方的面糊在180℃油炸条件下,水分含量和油含量随油炸时间的变化情况,及裹层在油炸过程中的传质动力学。结果表明:添加了HPMC和黄原胶的裹层在油炸过程中的含水量高,吸油量低。预干燥条件会影响裹层在油炸过程中的传质速率,预干燥时间越长,水分扩散率越低,油脂移动的速率也越低。菲克第二定律和一级动力学方程的预测结果与实验结果拟合度较高,可以很好的描述水分扩散和油脂移动过程。      

Effects of variety and stage of fruit ripeness on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of deep‐fat‐fried banana chips

The quality of banana chips prepared from two different varieties of banana, Pisang Abu and Pisang Nangka, at the ‘green’ and ‘trace of yellow’ stages of ripeness was studied. The fruits were peeled, sliced to a thickness of 2 mm and deep‐fat fried in refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm olein at 180 ± 5 °C for 3 min. The quality parameters determined for fresh bananas were total soluble solids, pH, acidity, carbohydrate, sugar content, fat, protein, moisture content, ash, fibre, colour and fruit firmness. The results showed that Abu had a higher carbohydrate content than Nangka at both stages of ripeness before frying. No sucrose was detected in Nangka. The quality parameters determined after deep‐fat frying were moisture content, water activity, oil absorption, crispness and sensory evaluation. The moisture content and water activity of Abu chips were lower than those of Nangka chips. The texture of chips prepared from Abu at stage ‘green’ showed more crispness than the other three samples. Sensory evaluation showed that chips prepared from Abu at both stages of ripeness presented better colour, flavour, odour, texture and overall acceptability than those prepared from Nangka. Based on the matrix of correlation coefficients, fresh bananas with higher fruit firmness and carbohydrate content gave banana chips with higher crispness and oil absorption. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effects of batters containing different gum types on the quality of deep‐fat fried chicken nuggets

The effects of various gum types [hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), guar gum, xanthan gum, gum arabic] on the quality of deep‐fat fried chicken nuggets were studied. Chicken samples, 0.04 m in diameter and 0.015 m in thickness taken from the breast portion, were coated with batters composed of a 3:5 solid to water ratio by immersion. The solid content of batter formulations contained equal amounts of corn and wheat flours, 1.0% gum, 1.0% salt and 0.5% leavening agent. As control, batter without gum addition was used. Samples were fried at 180 °C for 3, 6, 9 and 12 min. The hardness and oil content of the chicken nuggets increased whereas the moisture content decreased during frying. HPMC and xanthan gums reduced oil absorption significantly compared with other gums and the control. When gum arabic was added to the batter formulation, a product with the highest oil content and porosity was obtained. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Development and application of soy‐protein films to reduce fat intake in deep‐fried foods

A soy protein film coating was developed and evaluated to reduce fat transfer in deep‐fried foods during frying. Soy protein isolate solutions (10% SPI) with 0.05% gellan gum as plasticizer cooled after being held at 80 °C for 20 min provided suitable films. There was a significant fat reduction (55.12 (±6.03)%db) between fried uncoated and coated discs of doughnut mix. The same films were used on potato fries. Some panellists observed a slight difference between the coated and uncoated fries but many preferred the coated fries over the uncoated ones. Penetration test on potato fries showed no significant difference between the texture of coated (SPI with gellan gum) and the uncoated fried samples. A solution of 10% SPI with 0.05% gellan gum is recommended for coating foods to reduce fat intake during deep‐fat frying. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry     

Characteristics and oil absorption of deep‐fat fried dough prepared from ball‐milled wheat flour

BACKGROUND: High levels of oil in fried products has been recognized as causing health problems. The formation of microstructure during frying is one factor that influences oil absorption. Above the glass transition temperature (T_g), the physical properties of a polymer influences the formation of structure. The ball‐milling process changes the physicochemical properties of wheat flour constituents. The present study investigated the effects of physicochemical changes in wheat flour by the ball‐milling process on structure formation and oil absorption in wheat flour dough model. RESULTS: Dough samples were made from wheat flour that had been ball‐milled for 0 to 10 h and then fried in frying oil at 150 °C for 1–7 min. Thermal properties of wheat flour, structure alteration, and textural properties of fried samples were evaluated. As compared with samples made of non‐milled flour, samples made from milled flour had smaller pores and higher oil absorption. The fracture force of a fried sample prepared from non‐milled flour was lower than that of a sample prepared from milled flour. CONCLUSION: Ball‐milling affected the microstructure formation in fried wheat flour dough, and subsequently oil absorption. The crispness of a sample prepared from non‐milled wheat flour is higher than that of a sample prepared from ball‐milled wheat flour. This may be due not only to a plasticization effect, but may also be dependent on microstructure. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Understanding and predicting sensory crispness of deep‐fried battered and breaded coatings

Crusted crispness refers to coatings with a dry and brittle surface contrasting a high‐moisture core; it is desirable for the enjoyment and quality of deep‐fried goods. This study aims to investigate instrumental measurements and sensory measurements of crispness. Deep‐fried breadcrumb coatings of eight sizes were investigated: 4.0 mm, 2.8 mm, 2.0 mm, 1.4 mm, 1.0 mm, 710 μm, 500 μm, and 355 μm. Sensory profiling was carried out to develop a tailored lexicon for deep‐fried battered and breaded shrimp. Principal component analysis highlights that large breadcrumb sizes correlate with crispness, hardness, particle size, surface color, color uniformity, surface irregularity, total porosity, maximum force, area, drop in force, number of sound peaks, and sound pressure level. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering was used to confirm clustering of samples according to breadcrumb size. Multiple factor analysis confirmed overall correlation between sensory measurements and instrumental measurements (RV = 0.810). Partial least squares regression was used to develop a predictive model for crispness from instrumental measurements (R² = .854). The use of texture analysis and Acoustics provide information of the structures strength and deformation behavior, while X‐ray microCT provides a high resolution and noninvasive method that acquires information on the internal morphology. These instrumental methods collectively demonstrate the relationship between microstructure to sensory. This study investigates how a change in the microstructure of deep‐fried battered and breaded coatings affect crispness perception. These changes were investigated analytically and by using a sensory panel, this is important from a manufacturing perspective in order to understand what the major contributors are to a crisp texture. The key highlights of this study include both instrumental measurements and sensory measurements can be used to measure crispness as both types of testing are correlated. Changes in the size of breadcrumbs affect both instrumental measurements and sensory measurements. A predictive model can be re‐simulated to allow prediction of crispness in deep‐fried battered and breaded coatings.     

Comparison of the stability of palm olein and a palm olein/canola oil blend during deep‐fat frying of chicken nuggets and French fries

Stability of palm olein (PO) and a blend 50% palm olein/50% canola oil (POC) during deep‐fat frying at 180 °C of French fries (FF) or chicken nuggets (CN) was studied through the determination of physical and chemical parameters in the fresh and used oils. Degradation at the end of the study resulted in total polar compounds of 12–13.5% for PO and 11.5–14.5% for POC and viscosity of 65–123.3 cP for PO and 63–72.8 cP for POC. Lower peroxide values (5.33–6.32) were obtained for the blend (PO had 5.21–8.55). Food type affected colour parameters and p‐anisidine value of the oils. For CN, the lowest fat content and higher hardness were obtained when they were fried in PO. CN caused a faster deterioration in the oils, in comparison with FF, especially in POC. Gas chromatography allowed to observe differences in fatty acids composition for both used oils.     

Characterization of deep‐fat frying in a wheat flour–water mixture model using a state diagram

BACKGROUND: Crispness is an important characteristic to be controlled in deep‐fat fried products. The physical state of food polymers influences the development of cellular structure and textural qualities of fried food. Glassy state is believed to play an important role in the mechanical properties of low‐moisture food. Therefore, an understanding of the physicochemical phenomena in the development of fried food structure using a state diagram of the frying process is discussed. RESULTS: Wheat flour models containing 400 and 600 g kg^?1 initial moisture content were fried in frying oil at 150 °C for 1–7 min. Thermal properties of wheat flour, structure alteration and textural properties of fried samples were evaluated. The porous structure continuously enlarged when the sample was in the rubbery state. As the frying time was prolonged, the state of the product became glassy due to a decrease in water content, resulting in the ceasing of porous enlargement. Conclusion: The results revealed that physicochemical changes during frying influence the alteration of microstructure and quality of fried food, and the state diagram could be applied to explain the formation of microstructure during the frying process and used as a decision‐making tool to choose the proper conditions to provide desirable qualities in fried food. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Comparison of Mono- and Di-Saccharides Release in Aqueous Solutions by Raw or Fried Dice of Onion (Allium Cepa L.) Bulbs using Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR)

ABSTRACT:  Although onion bulb tissues, either raw or thermally processed, are widely used as culinary ingredients in homes, in restaurants, and in the food industry, especially for sauces, little is known about the chemical constituents released from such systems. To get a straightforward and fast analysis of sugars released from onion dice soaked in model aqueous solutions, quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy was applied, and the effect of a preliminary thermal processing in oil was investigated. Soaking of raw or fried onion bulb dice at room temperature was followed for 11 d as a model of long-term storage. For the Armstrong cultivar, the extracted dry matter (in milligrams per gram of fresh weight) as well as the content in 3 sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) increased up to a maximum after about 48 h of soaking. Frying induces no measurable new water-soluble compounds. However, extraction kinetics are different (about 3 times faster with frying). Using additional microscopic studies, a possible extraction mechanism is proposed: compounds from sap—including sugars—would diffuse through conductive tissue channels.     

The availability of soluble oxalates in stir‐fried silver beet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) leaves eaten with yoghurt

Silver beet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) leaves contain oxalates, and the addition of yoghurt, a food rich in calcium, to stir‐fried leaves was investigated as a way of reducing the soluble oxalate content. Fourteen participants ingested 115 g stir‐fried silver beet leaves with or without standard yoghurt and low‐fat yoghurt, respectively. Stir‐fried silver beet leaves contained 209.1 ± 0.1 mg of total oxalates per meal fresh weight (FW) and 109.2 ± 0.1 mg of soluble oxalates per meal FW. The proportion of soluble oxalates was reduced from 52% to a mean of 30% of the total oxalates when standard yoghurt or low‐fat yoghurt was added. The mean absorption of oxalate was determined by measuring the output of oxalate in the urine over a 6‐h period following ingestion of the meals. The mean absorption of oxalate from stir‐fried silver beet leaves was 2.41%, which reduced to 1.10% and 0.89% when consumed with standard yoghurt and low‐fat yoghurt, respectively.     

Isolation and Detection of Extended Spectrum β‐Lactamase (ESBL)‐Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Meat using Chromogenic Agars and Isothermal Loop‐Mediated Amplification (LAMP) Assays

The aim of this work was to develop a molecular method using loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for detection of extended spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL)‐producing Enterobacteriaceae from meat, and to compare it with different isolation agars and microarrays. LAMP assays were developed for CTX‐M groups 1, 2, and 9 and OXA‐10‐like genes. Chicken, lamb, beef, pork, and turkey samples were spiked with 10, 100, and 1,000 cfu/gram using 8 strains of ESBL‐producing Enterobacteriaceae (CTX‐M sequence types 1, 2, 3, 14, 15, OXA‐11, SHV‐2, TEM‐52) +/– a mix of competitor organisms. Samples were enriched overnight in buffered peptone water (BPW) +/– antibacterials before plating to CHROMagar CTX, OXOID ESBL Brilliance agar, and MacConkey agar with 1 mg/L cefotaxime. Selected BPW broths were also tested using LAMP assays, microarrays and using cefpodoxime discs on agar. For isolation/detection of ESBL producers from beef, pork, lamb, and turkey spiked with 10 or 100 cfu/gram ESBL (natural flora only), all agars and the LAMP assays showed 100% sensitivity and specificity for ESBL spike strains. For chicken samples, both LAMP and chromogenic agars showed improved sensitivity and specificity for isolation of ESBLs compared with MacConkey agar, particularly with competitor bacteria added. In comparison, the cefpodoxime disc method and microarray showed reduced sensitivity.     

Changes in chemical composition and nutritional quality of fried sardine (Clupea pilchardus) produced by frozen storage and microwave reheating

Modifications in proximate composition, fatty acids, amino acids and –SH groups content, as well as changes in solubility and nutritional quality of protein, were studied in fillets of sardine (Clupea pilchardus) that had been successively pan-fried, frozen stored and reheated by two different means, namely conventional oven and microwave oven. Upon pan-frying in olive oil the sardine absorbed C18: 1(n-9) and C18: 2(n-6) and lost saturated (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA); this loss continued upon reheating, and as a consequence the percentage of MUFA increased compared to the just-fried sardine. A loss of water was observed during all processes. Upon frying there was a decrease of cyst(e)ine. Upon reheating by both microwave and conventional oven, methionine decreased; however, cyst(e)ine only decreased with the use of a conventional oven. A loss of –SH groups was recorded during frying and this phenomenon continued upon reheating. Biological value (BV) together with net protein utilisation (NPU) decreased upon both frying and reheating. © 1997 SCI.