Effect of hydrocolloid addition on batter properties and quality of deep-fried banana (Musa spp.) fritters

PurposeDeep-fried banana (Musa spp.) fritters is one of the frequently consumed fruit based snacks in Southeast Asian countries despite its substantial amount of oil content. Consistent with the demand for low fat food with maintained palatability, this study aimed to determine the quality of banana fritters as affected by batter system containing selected hydrocolloids such as pectin (PCN), whey protein isolate (WPI) and soy protein isolate (SPI).Design/methodology/approachBanana fritter batters were prepared with individual addition of 2% PCN (w/w), 10% WPI (w/w), 10% SPI (w/w), combination of 2% PCN and 10% WPI, combination of 2% PCN and 10% SPI and control (without hydrocolloid addition). Batter viscosity (Pa.s) and batter pick-up (%) were determined. Banana fritters were analysed for moisture and fat contents, moisture loss, colour, hardness and sensory characteristics.FindingsHydrocolloid addition in the batter system resulted in a higher batter pick-up and viscosity in comparison to control batter system. Moisture loss from banana fritters with batter formulation of 2% PCN and 10% SPI was the lowest while the reduction in oil content (55%) was the highest. Banana fritters with inclusion of hydrocolloids in the batter formulation were equally accepted as the control sample by the sensory panelists with a score range between 6 and 7 for most of the sensory attributes evaluated except for oiliness.Originality/valueApplication of PCN and SPI in batter system to develop banana fritters with low oil content, moist fruit core and crunchy crust is reported for the first time. Batter premix containing PCN and SPI can be produced for fresh and frozen fritters preparation.

Physicochemical Properties of Sponge Cake Fortified by Olive Stone Powder

Olive stones are by-products in olive oil extraction and in table olive industries. Nonetheless, they contain beneficial nutritive elements such as fiber, phenolic compounds, and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. In this research, olive stone powder (OSP) was used to substitute 0, 15, 25, and 35% of wheat flour in sponge cake recipe. The effects of this substitution were examined on the physiochemical and sensory properties of sponge cakes. The fiber content and the total phenolic compounds of the cake samples increased significantly from 0.67 to 8.60% and from 89.14 to 739.23 μg/ml, respectively, by increasing the OSP from 0 to 35%. With increased amounts of OSP, batter viscosity and consistency decreased (from 27430 to 11030 centipoise and from 8.67 to 13.42 g/s, respectively), while the specific volume of the cakes increased (from 2.08 to 6.21 cm3/g). Parallel to the increased levels of substitution, the hardness and springiness of cakes decreased, whereas the gumminess and chewiness increased. The crumb structure of OSP-enriched cakes was more porous than that of the control. Color analysis indicated significant differences between the control and treated samples regarding L∗a∗, and b∗ parameters. Cakes had colors that were darker than expected when treated with OSP (p<0.05). According to sensory evaluations, no significant differences were observed between OSP cakes and the control sample in terms of taste, after taste, color, and odor (p>0.05). In conclusion, substituting OSP for flour by 25% can yield acceptable dietary fiber content and antioxidant phenolic compounds while showing no undesirable changes in sensory properties.

Effect of Maltodextrin Substitution on Physicochemical and Sensorial Properties of Malay Traditional Cake ‘Bahulu’

Although Malaysia is not a wheat-producing country, most Malaysian traditional foods uses wheat flour as its main ingredient. One ingredient substitution for wheat flour is modified starch, maltodextrin. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of wheat flour substitution with maltodextrin on physicochemical and sensorial properties of a Malay traditional cake, ‘bahulu’. Changes in the viscosity of batter, water activity (aw), specific volume, colour, texture profile and sensorial preference of ‘bahulu’ with 5% (M5), 10% (M10) and 15% (M15) maltodextrin substitution were measured. The results showed that with increase substitution of maltodextrin, batter viscosity, specific volume and aw values decreased. However, redness (+a*) of crust and yellowness (+b*) of crust and crumb, hardness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness of ‘bahulu’ increased. No significant difference was observed for L* (lightness) and –a* (greenness) of crumb, adhesiveness and cohesiveness. Compared to control, ‘bahulu’ with maltodextrin substitution showed reduction in degree of preference for sensory score except for texture attribute. This study indicates that replacement of wheat flour is possible at a certain level of substitution, however, further improvements are required in order to maintain the quality of the Malaysian heritage food.

Effects of the Addition of Grape Seed Powder on the Thermorheological Properties of Frying Batters

The effects of the addition of grape seed powder (GSP) on the thermorheological properties of frying batters were investigated in this study. Thermal properties, including gelatinization (TG) and melting (Tm) temperatures, as well as enthalpies (ΔHG, ΔHm), were determined by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The addition of GSP decreased the TG and Tm as the GSP levels increased. When compared with the control batter, the addition of GSP significantly decreased the apparent viscosity and viscoelastic modules (G′, G′′). The mechanical spectra of batters carried out at 15–80°C showed a transition from fluid-like to gel-like behavior. The batter pick-up values were found to be directly proportional to the batter viscosity. Both water retention capacities (WRC) and consistency index values (K) of the batters were significantly affected by the GSP addition and temperature (p < 0.05). Grape seeds have health-promoting components on a scientific basis; thus, this study provides helpful results in the development of novel frying batters.

Funcionality of several cake ingredients: A comprehensive approach

The roles of some cake ingredients &ndash; oil, a leavening agent, and inulin &ndash; in the structure and physicochemical properties of batter and cakes were studied in four different formulations. Oil played an important role in the batter stability, due to its contribution to increasing batter viscosity and occluding air during mixing. The addition of the leavening agent was crucial to the final height and sponginess of the cakes. When inulin was used as a fat replacer, the absence of oil caused a decrease in the stability of the batter, where larger air bubbles were occluded. Inulin dispersed uniformly in the batter could create a competition for water with the flour components: gluten was not properly hydrated and some starch granules were not fully incorporated into the matrix. Thus, the development of a continuous network was disrupted and the cake was shorter and softer; it contained interconnected air cells in the crumb, and was easily crumbled. The structure studies were decisive to understand the physicochemical properties. &nbsp;