MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF DEEP-FAT FRIED BREADED CHICKEN NUGGETS USING X-RAY MICRO-COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

摘要

X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging technique was applied tonstudy microstructural characteristics of deep-fat fried chicken nuggets. Thenresults obtained showed a significant (P < 0.05) influence of frying conditionsnon microstructural properties of the deep-fat fried breaded chicken nuggets.nThe porosity of the breading coating increased while that of the core remainednrelatively unchanged with frying time. The number of pores also increasednwith frying. The chicken nuggets coating and core pores showed a decreasedninterconnectivity after frying. The shapes of the samples’ pores were betweennrod-like and spherical structure. The pore size distribution for the coating andnthe core parts showed an increase in pores with diameter <100 mm in terms ofnvolume and number count. Some correlations were observed between thensample’s (coating and core) porosity and frying time, fat content and moisturenloss.