EFFECTS OF CORN MEAL, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, HIGH AMYLOSE STARCH AND EXTRUSION PARAMETERS ON TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF WHEAT-BASED EXTRUDED BREADING.

A wheat-based extruded breading was produced using a Brabender single-screw laboratory scale extruder (model GNF 1014/2) and applied to chicken nuggets. Response surface methodology was applied to study and optimize the effects of formulation and extrusion parameters on pick up, texture, solid loss, oil absorption and adhesiveness of fried coated nuggets. An optimized extruded breading was produced at 160C, 27% moisture content, 15% vital wheat gluten, 8% high amylose starch and 30% corn meal. The product showed pick up of 29.87%, adhesiveness of 100%, texture of 166.1 g, oil absorption of 2.97% and solid losses of 0.0885 absolute. The product presented similar values of pick up and adhesiveness, better texture, lower oil absorption and higher solid loss during deep-frying, compared with commercial breadings. Acceptance test showed that the product had better overall appearance and fairly similar texture, compared with the commercial ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]