Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
W095/07629 PCT~P94/02998
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Expanded coating mater~al.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a coating material for ~ood
products having a novel defined, smooth shape and an
advantageously low oil uptake on deep-frying, a method of
preparing such coating materials and a food product coated
with such a coating material.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
There is a continuing need of coated food products such as
coated meat, poultry, vegetables or fish. Usually, these
coated food products are obtained by first wetting a raw or
at least partially cooked, optionally frozen, product, for
instance by glazing or dipping into, or spraying with, a
fluid substance such as water or batter and, subsequent to
wetting, applying a particulate breading material. If
desired, the steps of wetting and breading can be repeated
to obtain a multi-layered coating. Before storage, the
coating is pre-set, for instance by pre-frying.
Well known crumb coating materials contain particles of a
heat-treated starchy material. Several methods for
obtaining these materials have been known for a long time.
One of these methods involves the baking of a loaf of bread
which, after staling, is ground into conventional bread
crumbs. Another method involves the cooker extrusion of a
mixture of flour and water, the extrudate then being ground
for instance to obtain so-called Japanese crumbs.
The crumb coatings obtained thereby have a sandy irregular
appearance. These crumb coatings absorb a substantial
amount of oil when the coated food product is deep-fat
fried. Furthermore, although by the provision of Japanese
crumb comprising differently coloured particles more
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variety in appearance is provided, there is a continuing
need ~or more variety.
US 4 568 550 (General Foods Corp) discloses extruding a
dough having a moisture content of 20 to 40~ at 60C to
120C while under pressures and low shear conditions and
for a period of time effective to set the protein and to
partially gelatinise the starch in the flour while
maint~;ning the starch granule integrity. The extrudate is
then subjected to the appropriate conditions in order to
puff and expand extrudate. The puffing explodes the
extrudate to provide the required aerated breadlike
structure. This process therefore teaches away from
providing a smooth, shape-retained extrudate.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a
novel shaped particulate coating material having a defined
smooth shape and a low oil uptake when deep-fried.
DEFINITION OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly the invention provides a crisp particulate
coating material having a defined smooth shape and an oil
uptake of less than 40~ by weight of the crumb composition,
comprising from 90-40~ starch and from 10 to 60~ protein,
providing that when the protein content is less than 30~ by
dry weight the protein is a fast hydrating protein.
The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a
particulate coating material having a defined, smooth shape
and an oil uptake of less than 40~ by weight of the crumb
composition, comprising:
a) extruding a dough comprising from 10 to 60~ by dry
weight protein and from 90 to 40~ by dry weight starch
through an appropriately shaped die; providing that when
the dough comprises from 30 to 60~ protein, the dough is
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W095/07629 PCT~P94102998
extruded at a temperature of from 60 to 100C; and when the
dough comprises below 30~ protein the protein is
substantially a fast hydrating protein and the dough is
extruded at a temperature of less than 40C;
b) cutting the appearing extrudate into approximately
equally thick sections to form a shaped pellet; and
c) a means to effect expansion of the pellet.
The invention further provides a food product comprising an
edible core and a coating of such defined smooth shaped
particles as described above.
By oil uptake is meant the percentage of oil
absorbed/retained by the crumb composition during the
process of frying in oil in order to cook the crumb coated
foodstuff. Preferably the crumb has an oil uptake of less
than 30~ most preferably less than 25~.
By defined shape is meant that the particulate coating
material has undergone no puffing of its structure during
manufacture, in other words the original shape of the
coating material has been retained during its manufacture.
By fast hydrating protein is meant a protein that is fully
hydrated after 2 to 5 minutes at room temperature.
The dough composition is manufactured by a~m;~ng the
re~uired particulate ingredients with water, and preferably
has a moisture content of from 23 to 45~. A dough having
a protein content of from 30-60~ more preferably has a
moisture content from 25 to 40~, even more preferably from
28 to 33~, most preferably 30~. A dough having a protein
content of less than 30~ more preferably has a moisture
content of from 35 to 45~.
W095/07629 PCT~P9~/02998
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7 ~ 4
The particulate components thus comprise starch and protein
in a ratio of from 9:1 to 2:3. If the protein content is
not fast hydrating protein the preferred ratio of starch to
protein is from 2:1 to 2:3 most preferably 3:2 to 1:1. If
the protein content is substantially fast hydrating protein
the preferred ratio of starch to protein is from 4:1 to
7:1.
Suitable proteins include vegetable proteins for example
soya protein, chick pea protein and particularly includes
cereal proteins such as vital wheat gluten.
Suitable starches include vegetable starches for example
potato starch and particularly includes cereal starches,
for example wheat starch, maize starch and rice starch.
Preferably the starch is a waxy maize starch.
Since starch and protein are present in flours, such
flours, for example cereal flour, may therefore be utilised
with or without further starch and/or protein addition in
order to obtain the desired ratio of starch to protein, for
manufacture of the dough. In particular the flour may be
Canadian Wheat Red Springs flour (CWRS).
Further optional ingredients which may be included in the
crumb coating include for example salt, flavouring
materials, fillers, vegetable particles, sugar, fats,
emulsifiers, colours, gasifying agents, food fibres and
bran.
When the protein content of the dough is from 30 to 60~,
the dough is extruded through an appropriately shaped die
at a temperature of from 60 to 100C, preferably from 65 to
80C, most preferably 70C.
When the protein content of the dough is less than 30~, the
dough is extruded through an appropriately shaped die at a
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W095/07629 PCT~P94/02998
temperature of less than 40C, preferably less than 30C.
The means to effect expansion of the shaped pellet, may be
any suitable means known to the man skilled in the art.
Preferably expansion is effected via heat treatment.
The heat treatment may preferably be selected from frying
in oil, heating in a hot air oven and microwaving. Most
preferably the expansion is effected by frying the dried
pellets in oil at preferably 170C to 220C until suitably
expanded.
Additionally a drying step may be incorporated into the
manufacturing method detailed above after step (b) whereby
the shaped pellets are dried to a moisture content of from
5 to 30~. This is particularly advantageous when the
moisture content of the dough prior to extrusion is greater
than 35~ because it prevents the shaped pellets from
sticking together. If the protein content of the dough is
from 30 to 60~ the shaped pellets are preferably dried to
a moisture content o~ from 10 to 20~ and more preferably
15~. Whereas if the protein content of the dough is less
than 30~, the shaped pellets are preferably dried to a
moisture content of from 22 to 25~.
The cross section of the die will determine the final shape
of the crumb and may be any desired shape. However, it is
preferred that the final crum.b size does not exceed 12 mm
and more preferably does not exceed 10 mm. Particularly
suitable m~;ml~m ~;mPn~ions being from 3 to 8 mm having a
sufficiently large size to have definition and not too
large to be inconvenient when cutting or biting the final
crumb product.
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USE OF THE CRUM~ COATING COMPOSITION
Crumb coating compositions according to the invention may
be used to provide ~ood products such as coated meat,
poultry, vegetables or ~ish. J
The crumb coating is preferably applied to a ~ood substance
which has ~irst been wetted by glazing or dipping into, or
spraying with, a ~luid substance such as water or batter.
The coating may be pre-set, ~or instance by pre-~rying.
Food products coated with the crumb coating according to
the invention, on heating for consumption, have a desirable
crisp crumb coating, and a novel shape.
EXAMPLES
The invention will be ~urther illustrated by the ~ollowing
examples. All parts and percentages are by weight unless
otherwise indicated.
Examples 1-4 : Comparative Examples A-C
A dough was prepared comprising vital wheat gluten, waxy
maize starch, salt and water in the proportions shown in
Table 1.
Table 1
~ By Weight of Composition
Example Protein Starch Salt Water
'
1 22.8 45.7 1.5 30.0
2 41.1 68.5 1.5 30.0
3 34.25 34.25 1.5 30.0
35 4 68.5 41.1 1.5 30.0
A 17.1 51.4 1.5 30.0
B 45.7 22.8 1.5 30.0
C 51.4 17.1 1.5 30.0
2~ 71 762
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The dough was extruded through a shaped die of a CLEXTRAL
BC 45 cooker extruder at a temperature of 70C. The die
was star-shaped having an 8mm diameter. The appearing
strand was cut into 2mm thick shaped pellets. These were
dried at 70C to a moisture content of 15~. The shaped
pellets were then fried in hot oil at about 170 for 30 to
40 seconds.
Fish fingers in a frozen condition were coated with a fluid
batter of the following composition:
45 parts flour
3 parts NaCl
52 parts water
Thereafter the fried coating particles were coated all
around the battered fish fingers, whereafter the coated
fingers were flash fried by immersing 20 seconds in hot oil
at about 190 to 195C.
The crumb coating had the properties shown in Table 2. The
measurements were made after cooking the fish fingers in
oil for consumption.
Example Crumb coating characteristics ~ fat uptake
1 smooth, shape-retained crisp 20
2 smooth, shape-retained, crisp,20
firm
3 smooth, shape-retained, crisp,22
firm
4 shape-retained, crisp, firm 20
A smooth, shape-retained, not 25-30
crisp starchy, fragile
B slightly rough, firm, crisp ~40
C very rough and hard, no shape,40
retention
W095/07629 PCT~P94/029g8
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It was observed that the higher the protein content, the
rougher and ~irmer the crumb becomes and also the crumb
~pu~fs" more on cooking and hence does not retain its
shape. This results in a higher ~at uptake on deep-fat
frying. The higher the starch content, the smoother the
crumb becomes and the better it retains its shape. However
too high a starch content provides a more fragile crumb
into which the oil can penetrate more easily, resulting in
a higher ~at uptake.
Examples 5-10
A dough was prepared comprising CWRS flour having a
moisture content of 40~. The CWRS ~lour had a starch
content of 85~ and a protein content of 15~. The protein
was fast hydrating protein.
The dough was extruded through a shaped die of a CLEXTRAL
BC 45 cooker extruder at a temperature of 33C. The die was
star shaped and had an 8mm diameter. The appearing strand
was cut into 2mm thick shaped pellets and ;mm~;ately dried
under the conditions shown in Table 3. The shaped pellets
were then fried in hot oil at about 190C for 60 seconds.
25 Table 3
Example Drying temp Moisture
content Fat
after drying Uptake
40C 15~ 20
6 40C 18~ 17.4
7 70C 17~ 21
8 70C 19~ 19
9 40C 24.8~ 24.1~
40C 29.0~ 27.6~ -
All crumbs were smooth, shape-retained and crisp. Example
6 crumbs were the most crisp.
wosS/07629 2 ~ 1 l 1 6 2 PCT~P94/02998
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Comparative Example D
Fish fingers were coated with a fluid batter as for Example
1. Thereafter the fish fingers were coated with
commercially available Pandora Crumb, whereafter the coated
fingers were flash fried by immersing 20 seconds in hot oil
of about 190 to 195C before cooking the fish fingers in
oil for consumption. The fat uptake of the crumb was
greater than 50~.
