Food processing equipment company, Heat and Control, highlights the various coatings that can be used to lock in flavours and moisture, and give products a particular appearance, texture, and taste.
Prepared foods manufacturers combine a variety of spices and seasonings and use different coating methods to create unique products and flavour profiles. Heat and Control’s Micro Breader Breading Applicator is able to uniformly apply everything from flour and crumbs to flake coatings.
Following are some common types of coating ingredients and methods of use:
Pre-Dusts
Pre-dusts are a blend of finely ground grain-based coatings applied as the first layer in a coating system. A pre-dust provides a binding surface to which batter can attach to, and contributes to increasing coating pick-up. Agents are often added to pre-dusts, frequently used as a flavour carrier and to help other coatings bind to the substrate. Flavourings in the pre-dust are partially protected during the frying process, making their impact on flavour enhancement more noticeable. Typically, a pre-dusted product has a more uniform coating, an improved appearance and texture, and a reduced coating blow-off during the frying process.
Standard Batter
Standard batters are generally a blend of several ingredients, such as flour, starches, and water, and provide an adhesive surface so seasoned flour or breadcrumb coatings can stick. To coat specialty products that are slick or have a dense surface, adhesive agents are often added to batters. Batters with flavours and colours help to create final taste and appearance characteristics. Batter viscosity is key to obtaining the desired coating pickup, adhesiveness, and texture.
Tempura Batter
Tempura batter is prepared and blended like other batters, except leavening agents are added into the mixture. The leavening agents release gas when fried, resulting in puffing of the coating and the desired texture that is typical of tempura-battered products. In many cases, this type of batter needs to be held in chilled/refrigerated batter mixing tanks to prevent the gases from dissipating before the product is fried. In addition, star-wheel transfers from the batter applicator to the fryer minimise the contact surface to prevent the delicate tempura batter from being sheared off the substrate.
Wash Batter
Wash batters are combinations of water, egg, starches, and agents for adhesion, colour, and flavour that provide a unique surface texture to fried products, such as french fries and seafood products. There are instances where a gum-based clear gel batter is used to protect products from dehydration during the freezing and re-thermalisation processes.
Marinades & Glazes
Marinades and glazes are combinations of flavourings, seasonings, water, and juices that enhance product taste, mouthfeel, and appearance. Marinades are liquids that are injected into the product or poured onto its surface to increase flavour, moisture, and tenderness. The marinade may be left on the product for a few minutes to several hours depending on the desired result. Glazes can be dry or liquid and are applied only to the product surface.
Breading
Each breading type has a characteristic flavour, size, texture, and colour. Adding spices, nuts, and other flavourings, as well as different flours, starches, and crumbs, can augment breading taste and appearance in nearly limitless combinations.
Flour
Flours for food coating are a simple mixture of various types of flour, mostly wheat, and are one of the most widely used coatings. Flour is a natural ground powder used for carrying flavours and colours and is often mixed with various spices, starches, and other ingredients. It produces a home-style appearance that is popular, while its flexibility and tolerance to frying make it successful for producers.
Cracker Meal
Cracker meal and saltine crackers are produced by the same basic process – the dough mixture consisting of flour and water is sheeted and baked; and after baking, the cracker is further dried then ground to specific granulation sizes. It is a very durable coating and is often used in long fry applications because of its low oil absorption characteristic and because it does not develop too much colour while frying.
Extruded Crumb
Extruded crumb is produced from high content starch ingredients cooked continuously under pressure. At the end of the process, the sudden release of pressure causes the quick expansion of moisture, which in turn expands the extrusion. This inexpensive process allows high production volumes of crumbs that have light to medium density.
American Crumb
American crumb is usually baked as a continuous bread loaf but contains less water in the dough and has a dark and a hardened crust after baking. Because of its hard texture, it is largely used to coat products such as croquettes and fish. To enhance appearance, colouring agents, such as paprika and turmeric, are used to develop a rich brown colour during frying.
Japanese Crumb
Japanese crumb, also known as Panko, is manufactured with yeast, using an electrical induction process. Yeast contributes to the open and porous structure of this elongated and uniquely shaped crumb. The texture, lightness, and crunchy bite of this crumb is unlike any other breading. Compared with other breadings, the coating surface is remarkably free of oil when reconstituted. Special care must be taken in handling this fragile breading to maintain the integrity of the particle shape and size for as long as possible.
Fresh Crumb
Fresh crumb is not dried like other breading and must be refrigerated for extended storage periods. When fried, fresh crumb is desirable for the crispy texture and the delicate appearance it gives to the coated product.
Further information and availability for Heat and Control’s Micro Breader Breading Applicator and other products can be found online at heatandcontrol.com.
