Effects of Rice Batter on Oil Uptake and Sensory Quality of Coated Fried Okra

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Okra was coated and deep-fat fried with batters of flour sources including rice flour, a mixture of rice flour and small amounts of pregelatinized rice flour (PGRF), and, as a control, traditional wheat flour. The addition of PGRF, up to 8%, enhanced batter viscosity and the coating properties of the rice batter. Oil uptake of the fried batter decreased with the addition of up to 5% PGRF. Rice flour fried batters, with and without PGRF, were found to absorb substantially lower oil, by as much as 51 %, compared with the wheat batter. The fried okra coated with the rice batter containing 5% PGRF, when evaluated for sensory properties on appearance and surface attributes, was found to be superior or equal to those with the wheat batter and rice batter without PGRF. Particularly, its golden brown color is considered more desirable than the lighter yellow color of the other 2 entities. Similarly, most of its 1st-bite and after-chew properties were slightly better and were in the normal range of commercially available products. Specifically, its distinctive crispiness is considered a positive attribute, whereas its slightly higher tooth packing properties, while remaining in the range of commercial products, may be noticeable to some consumers.