Microwaveable coated food product, and method and apparatus for the manufacture thereof

Abstract

A frozen, microwaveable, coated food product comprising: a core of cooked edible material having a weight equal to 15-95 wt. % of the food product, a fried coating that envelops the core of edible material and has a weight equal to 5-85 wt. % of the total weight of the food product, said coating comprising at least three coating layers, including an inner crumb layer, an outer crumb layer and a batter layer that separates the inner crumb layer from the outer crumb layer; wherein both the inner crumb layer and the outer crumb layer comprise a milled farinaceous dough extrudate containing 0.05-5 wt. % of added hydrocolloid.

1 . A microwaveable, frozen, fried coated food product comprising:
 a core of cooked edible material;   
       a fried coating that envelopes the core of edible material and has a weight equal to from about 5 to 85 weight percent of the total weight of the food product and a water content of not more than 10 weight percent after microwave reheating, said fried coating comprising at least three coating layers, including:
 an inner crumb layer dispersed on the core of cooked edible material wherein the inner crumb layer comprises dried and milled far inaceous dough extrudate containing from 0.05 to 5 weight percent of guar gum; 
 an intermediate layer dispersed on the inner crumb layer; and 
 an outer crumb layer dispersed on the layer wherein the outer crumb layer comprises dried and milled farinaceous dough extrudate containing from 0.05 to 5 weight percent of co-extruded guar gum. 
 
     
     
         2 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the milled extrudate that is contained in the inner crumb layer has a mass weighted average particle size of less than 2 mm and wherein the crispy outer crumb layer has a fat content of less than 20 weight percent fat wherein the fat is selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, free/fatty acids, phospholipids and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the milled extrudate that is contained in the inner crumb layer has a mass weighted average particle size of 0.1 to 1.5 mm and the overall inner crumb layer has a weight of from 3 to 8 weight percent of the fried product. 
     
     
         4 . The food product according to  claim 3 , wherein not more than 5 weight percent of the milled extrudate that is contained in the inner crumb layer has a particle size more than 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the layer dispersed on the inner crumb layer is a batter layer. 
     
     
         6 . The food product according to  claim 5 , wherein not more than 5 weight percent of the milled extrudate in the outer crumb layer has a particle size of less than 0.5 mm and the outer crumb layer contains at least 80 weight percent milled farinaceous dough extrudate. 
     
     
         7 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the milled extrudate that is contained in the outer crumb layer has a mass weighted average particle size that is at least 50% higher than the mass weighted average particle size of the milled extrudate that is contained in the inner crumb layer. 
     
     
         8 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the fried coating has an average thickness of from 1 to 8 mm; and wherein the layer dispersed on the inner crumb layer is a batter layer. 
     
     
         9 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer crumb layer contains at least 90 weight percent milled farinaceous dough extrudate. 
     
     
         10 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the fried coating, after microwave reheating, has a water content of not more than 5 weight percent. 
     
     
         11 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the mass weighted average particle size of the outer crumb layer is at least 50% higher than the mass weighted average particle size of the milled extrudate contained in the inner crumb layer. 
     
     
         12 . The food product according to  claim 1 , wherein the mass weighted average particle size of the outer crumb layer is from about 200% to about 500% higher than the mass weighted average particle size of the milled extrudate contained in the inner crumb layer. 
     
     
         13 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the inner crumb layer and the outer crumb layer have the same composition; and wherein the intermediate layer is a batter layer where the batter comprises flour and water. 
     
     
         14 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein an aqueous precoating liquid is disposed between the core of edible material and the inner crumb layer on the core of edible material and the aqueous precoating liquid adheres the inner crumb layer to the core of edible material and comprises from 0.1 to 5 weight percent dry matter. 
     
     
         15 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the batter comprises from 20 to 55 weight percent starch; from 20 to 55 weight percent flour; and from 3 to 20 weight percent egg solids (weight percent based ingredient weight) and the batter has a viscosity of from 200 to 1000 cP measured using a Brookfield viscometer with a number 3 spindle at 60 rpm when it is applied to the bonding crumb. 
     
     
         16 . A method of producing a frozen, microwaveable, fried, coated food product comprising the steps of:
 providing a portion of a solid or solidified substrate;   coating the portion with an aqueous precoating liquid to form a precoated portion, the aqueous precoating liquid comprising:   a thickener; xantham gum; and egg albumen; wherein the aqueous precoating liquid comprises from 0.1 to 5 weight percent dry matter;   applying and adhering a coating of bonding crumb to the precoated portion to form a crumb coated portion wherein the bonding crumb contains dried and milled farinaceous dough extrudate containing 0.05 to 5 weight percent of co-extruded guar gum;   applying an intermediate layer to the crumb coated portion;   applying a coating of coating crumb over the intermediate layer to form a breaded portion wherein the coating crumb contains dried and milled farinaceous dough extrudate containing 0.05 to 5 weight percent of co-extruded guar gum;   frying the breaded portion by contacting said breaded portion with hot oil having a temperature of at least 150° C.; and   rapidly freezing the fried coated portion after frying, while a core temperature of the fried coated portion is still high in order to enhance the structural integrity of the coated food product.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the aqueous precoating liquid has a minimum viscosity of 300 cP, measured using a Brookfield viscometer with a number 3 spindle at 60 rpm at 10° C. and the intermediate layer is a batter layer where the batter comprises flour and water. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the method yields a frozen, microwaveable, coated food product in which:
 the core of cooked edible material has a weight equal to from 15 to 95 weight percent of the food product;   the fried coating that envelopes the core of edible material has a weight equal to from 5 to 85 weight percent of the total weight of the food product.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mass weighted average particle size of the outer crumb layer is at least 50% higher than the mass weighted average particle size of the milled extrudate contained in the inner crumb layer and the intermediate layer is a batter layer where the batter comprises flour and water. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mass weighted average particle size of the outer crumb layer is from about 200% to about 500% higher than the mass weighted average particle size of the milled extrudate contained in the inner crumb layer.