Innovative method for preparing a frozen, battered food without a prefrying step

The fundamentals and detailed description of the key steps of an innovative process for industrial battered food production that eliminates the prefrying step are presented. The process is based on the incorporation of methylcellulose (MC) in the batter formula. Thanks to its thermal gelation ability, MC allows the development of an appropriate consistency when the coated food item is immersed in a hot water bath (T=70 to 80°C). Subsequent application of a heat impact treatment sets the gel structure, thus suppressing the thermoreversibility of the process. Battered squid rings were prepared in accordance with this method at two MC concentrations (1.5 and 2%, based on the dry mix), and the pickup of the product, and the final texture, color, and fat and moisture contents of the final fried external crust were evaluated. The MC levels studied in the present work did not affect color, yield, or fat and moisture contents significantly. Textural measurements showed an increase in maximum peak force with MC concentration, although no significant differences were found in the slope values of the penetrometry curves. The overall results reflect the suitability of the process. Of note is the extraordinarily low oil content of this innovative battered food after frying.

The authors are indebted to the Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologı́a for financial support (AGL2000-1553-C02-01), and to the Consejerı́a de Educación de Valencia (Spain) for the grant awarded to author T.S. We are also grateful to Cat-Preymer (Barcelona, Spain) for the supply of MC, and to Adı́n, S.A. (Valencia, Spain) for the supply of the other ingredients.