Use of the methylcellulose gum for fat up-take absorption in coated products

• Main Authors: Daniele Domingues Dill, Marcia de Mello Luvielmo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Londrina 2008-08-01
• Series: Semina: Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas
• Subjects: Coated products; Fat-uptake; Methylcellulose gum
• Online Access: http://www.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/semexatas/article/view/2978

Even though coated meats have added value to products and gained consumers confidence, by improving these product’s appearance and taste, they go through a pre-frying stage during processing which releases the water and allows fat to enter the product, thus increasing fat content. The purpose of this work was to develop a coating system that absorbs less fat during the pre-frying stage of a chicken coated product. To do that, methylcellulose gum was added (MC) in different concentrations in the covering systems, batter (coating liquid) and breading (covering expresses). Five experiments were carried out, a standard experiment, without ingredient addition with technological function, formulations with addition of MC in the batter (0,5% and 2,0%), with addition of MC in the batter and in the breading (1% in each) and with addition of MC in the breading (2,0%). Results showed that fat uptake reduction in formulations with 0,5 and 2,0% of MC in the batter were of 5,81% and 8,40%, respectively, and in experiments with 1% of MC in the batter and 1% of MC in the breading was of 7,66%. In experiments that received 2% of MC in the breading , fat uptake reduction was of 10,51%. Formulations with 2% of MC added to the breading (10,51%) and 2% of MC added to the batter (8,40%) presented the largest reductions in fat uptake during the pre-fried stage. Analysis of sensorial acceptance showed that all formulations had a superior acceptance index of 70%, with no significant difference among the other tested formulations acceptance results (p <0,05). These findings show the efficiency of MC as a fat uptake barrier during the pre-fried stage, increasing humidity content, and becoming an advantageous technological alternative for the food industry.