Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Case 2823
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DESCRIPTION
DRY, PUFF BATTER MIX
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a novel,
05 dry-mix composition particularly adapted to produce
a viscous, liquid batter useful to be applied to
oodstuffs before they are fried and frozen. Food
stuffs, such a5 fish portions and chicken parts ,
which have been par-fxied ~i.e., partially fried) to
lQ the point where they may be froze.n and subsequently
heated in a conven~ional gas or electric household
oven prior to consumption have been widely accepted
as these products can be prepared by the consumer
with a minimum of effort. Normally, ~hese foods are
battered and/or breaded by the manufact~rer in
advance of par-frying in order to ~eal in the natu-
ral juices of the foodstuff and provide a tasty
crus~. The use of batter for fried foods is almost
universal; however, here~ofore, it has not been
20 possible to obtain batter on oven-reheated, frozen,
par-fried foods which are comparable to the crisp
batters associated with freshly battered and deep-
fat-fried chicken and fish. The eating quali~ies of
these coatings after going through the steps of
freezing, froz~n storage and oven reconstitution
have not been of high guality. Consumers have,
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however, been willing ~o sacrifice a reduction in
~uality from freshly deep-fat-fried foods in ex-
change for convenience.
The novel compositon of the present invention
05 describes a dry mix formulation that can be combined
with an aqueous medium, such as water or milk, to
produce a fluid bat~er which will, upon deep~fat
frying, develop into an ~xpanded or puffed, highly-
cohesive coating completely encapsulating discrete
lo foodstuffs. The puffed coating produced in accor-
dance with this invention may ~e frozen and, ~here-
after, be subjected to froæen storage, such as
encountered during distribution of froæen food-
stuffs, without significant adverse effects. Upon
being heated in an oven the frozen, puffsd coating
will retain its crisp, flaky and deep-fat fried
te~ture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The dry mix of this invention contains a unique
com~ination of farinaceous ingredients together with
a leavening agent, whey protein and a shortening.
Emulsifiers, spices, flavoring agents, such as salts
and spices, and browning agents, such as sugars, may
also be included in the dry mix formulation. Nonfa~t
milk solids, such as buttermilk solids, may be added
to the dry formulaticn when it is intended to pre-
pare the fluid batter by the addition of water.
When fluid milk will be added to the dry mix, milk
solids would typically not be included in the dry
batter mix.
All of the weights given herein are given as
percent weight of the dry mix formulation, on an
as-is basis, unless otherwise indicated.
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The farinaceous ingredients include from 34% to
60% wheat flour and from 13% to 35% corn flour.
This combination of flours promotes the development
of a crisp batter having excellent flavor. ~ice
05 flour from about 0.5% to 4.5% may also b~ included
to aid in obt~- n; ny crispness, but is utilized at a
relatively low level in order to avoid off-fl2vors.
The flour componen~s should total at least 55%.
Also included among the ~arinaceous ingredients are
food starches in the amoun~ of at least 8%, includ
ing from 2.S% to 15% of a high-amylose corn starch
and from 1.5% to 8% of a low~amylose starch, such as
waxy rice starch or waxy maize starch. The food
starches are also present to attain increased crisp-
lS ness in the fried batter.
High-amylose corn starches are readily avail-
able commercially and a suitable chemically-modified
cornstarch is marketed by Nation~l Starch and Chemi-
cal Corporation under the tr~dcnlme 'ICrisp ~ilm."
~0 Low-amylose starches are also commercially avail-
able, such as the w~xy maize starch product of
National Starch and Chemical Corporation known as
'IPurity Gum 1773,"
The leavening agent, typically baking powder,
is incorporated in the dry batter mi~ at a level of
from 2% to 5%. As will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art~ the incorporation of a leavening
agent will lead to the development of a puffed or
airy batter upon fryiny. There may also be included
in the formulation an amount o~ leavening acid over
and above the leavening acid that may be present as
a component of the leavening agent. This additional
amount of acid of ~rom 0.2% to 0.7% can be employed
to increase the rate at which carbon dioxide is
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released from the baking powder and to control the
pH of the batter. Leavening acids, such as sodium
aluminum phosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, calcium
phosphate, cream of tartar, ~artaric acid, glucona
05 delta lactone or combinations of any of the mate-
rials may be employed.
A whey pro~ein concentrate is included in the
dry mix formualtion o this inven~ion a~ a level of
0.7 to 5% whey protein. ~he whey protein ha~ also
10 been found to aid in developing crispness in the
fried batter. The amount of whey protein concen-
trate actually used in the formula~ion will, of
couxse, vary depending upon the level of protein in
the concentrate. Thus, about twice as much of a 40%
protein concentrate wlll be needed as compared to an
80% protein concentrate.
The shortening component of the dry mix is
present in an amount of from 2% to 5~ in order to
give a flaky texture to the fried coating. The
shortening material may be any low melting point
animal or vegetable fat but will preferably be one
or more partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such
as soybean, cottonseed or palm kernel oil. The fat
wiIl typically be encapsulated in an edible, water-
soluble coating in order to obtain the fat as a dry,free-flowing component which may be easily blended
with the other dry components.
Any typical salt, such as sodium chloride,
potassium chloride, calcium chloride or a combina-
tion of any of these, may be included for flavorpurposes. Likewise, sugars, such as dextrose,
sucrose, corn syrup solids, lactose, fructose or
combinations thereof, may be used both as browning
agents and for flavor effects.
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Nonfat dry milk solids may be added to the dry
mix level of up to about 3~ to improve the te~ture
of the fried batter. The presence of these milk
solids in the batter has been found to produce a
05 softer ~ried batter.
An emulsifier, preferably a natural emulsifier
such as lecithin, but also synthetic emulsifiers
~uch as the various food-approved mono- and digly-
cerides may be added to the dry mix in order to
facilitate dispersion of the shortenin~ in the
aqueous ba~ter. When employed, the emulsifier will
usually be at a level of from .05% to 0.5% by weight
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Dry~Mix Batter Formulation
Broad Preferred
Ingredient Range Range
~% by wt.) (% by wt.)
Wheat Flour 34-60 40-50
Corn Flour 13-35 18-30
Rice Flour 0-4.5 0.5-3
High~Amylose
CoLnstarch 2.5-15 5-13
Low-Amylose Starch 1.5-8 2-7
Leavening Agent 2-5 2-4
Leavening Acid 0 0.7 0.2-0.5
Whey Prote~n 0.5-4 0.7-4
Shortening 2-5 2.5 4
NFDMS 0-3 0.5-2~5
Emulsifier 0-0.5 .05-0-5
30 Seasonings las desired) (as desired)
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The above batter formulations will be combined
with an aqueous medium ~e.g., water, milk, etc.) at
a ratio of about 0.75 to 1.75:1 in order to produce
a viscous bat~er having a viscosity (measured at
05 40F) of from 4,000 to 8lO00 centipoises, more
preferably from ~,500 to 5,500 centipoises. A wide
variety of mechanical means may be employed to
accomplish the actual battering step. Thus, for
example, the food piece may be moved through a bath
of, or sprayed or cascaded with, the fluid batter.
The food piece which may be frozen, such as frozen
fish sticks or portions, desirably may be dipped in
an aqueous solution of sodium tripolyphosphate,
typically about 5 to 10% NaTPP, as is known in the
art, in order to help retain water in the fish and
out o~ contact with the batter. The food piece may
also be dusted with a pre-dust in order to promote
adhesion betwen the batter and the food.
The batter mix compositions of this invention
may be used on all types of foods which will be
deep-fat;fried and is particularly adapted for use
with deep-fat-fried foods which are subsequently
frozen and reheated in an oven. Included among
thses foods are fish, shellfish, poultry, meat and
vegetable products.
Having thus defined the invention, what is
claimed is:
