EFFECTS OF EDIBLE COATINGS ON DEEP FAT FRIED CHICKEN NUGGETS

Deep fat frying is a widely used operation for preparing foods because of the desirable and unique sensorial characteristics of fried products, such as flavor, appearance and texture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of edible coatings based on methylcellulose (MC) and cassava starch (CS) to reduce oil uptake and improve water retention of chicken nuggets. Edible coatings were prepared with 1g of MC/100g solution and 4g of CS/100g solution, both with 25 or 55g glycerol/100g biopolymer. These solutions were applied on nuggets samples before battering. Pre-fried (180 degrees C/30seg.) and fried (180 degrees C/3min.) nuggets were analyzed to determine oil and water contents. Also, color and texture were measured in the fried nuggets. Coatings based on CS with 25% of plasticizer were the best effective for reduction of lipid content and oil uptake in the whole samples after frying. During pre-frying, the samples coated using MC with 55% of plasticizer presented the lowest lipid content. The coated samples were darker and presented brighter yellowish color when compared with the control. Also, a significant decrease in the peak force of the fried coated samples was verified, indicating a reduced hardness of these samples.