RSS Feeds

Earth Science

Space Science

Life Science

Fields of Scientific Study

Nanotechnology

Cancer

Definitions of The Fields of Scientific Study

Fishing for a better bit of batter

September 24, 2007

Good news for lovers of fish and chips, Japanese scientists have come up with the perfect recipe to make a crispy batter which is also lower in fat, reports Joanna Harries in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI.

Dr Thanatuksorn and his team at Tokyo University of Technology studied how the structure of the batter molecules changes during the frying process. By altering the water content and frying time they were able to suggest the perfect conditions to create batter with the best lasting crispiness, as well as helping to reduce the fat content (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture DOI 10.1002/jsfa.3027).

During the deep-frying process a rigid microstructure of pores is formed in the batter, and this microstructure is responsible for the textural properties of the food, as well as determining how much oil is absorbed during the frying. The amount of water in the batter before and after frying is critical. Water evaporates during cooking creating the pores responsible for crispiness, but residual moisture remaining after causes the batter to go soggy.

According to Thanatuksorn's research, larger pores trap less oil during cooking so will reduce the amount of fat in the cooked food. By using a batter with a moisture content of 60% and frying for 5 minutes a highly crisp lower-fat batter is formed. The scientists say the residual moisture should be less than 5%.

Thanatuksorn says this method can be extended to other food types, so next on the menu could be perfect chips.

Society of Chemical Industry

Related Food Current Events and Food News Articles

Food Current Events and Food News RSS

We're off then: the evolution of bat migration
Not just birds, but also a few species of bats face a long journey every year. Researchers at Princeton University in the U.S. and at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell, Germany studied the migratory behaviour of the largest extant family of bats, the so-called "Vespertilionidae" with the help of mathematical models.

Flaxseed oil and osteoporosis
Animal studies suggest that adding flaxseed oil to the diet could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to a report to be published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.

Diabetes surgery summit consensus lays foundation for new field of medicine
A first-of-its-kind consensus statement on diabetes surgery is published online today in the Annals of Surgery.

Fish food fight: Fish don't eat trees after all, says new study
What constitutes fish food is a matter of debate. A high-profile study a few years ago suggested that fish get almost 50 percent of their carbon from trees and leaves, evidence for a very close link between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Delft breakthrough in bioethanol production from agricultural waste
With the introduction of a single bacterial gene into yeast, researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands achieved three improvements in bioethanol production from agricultural waste material: 'More ethanol, less acetate and elimination of the major by-product glycerol' This week the invention was published in the scientific journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Is global warming unstoppable?
In a provocative new study, a University of Utah scientist argues that rising carbon dioxide emissions - the major cause of global warming - cannot be stabilized unless the world's economy collapses or society builds the equivalent of one new nuclear power plant each day.

It's a gas: New discovery may lead to heartier, high-yielding plants
In a research report published in the November 2009 issue of the journal GENETICS, scientists show how a family of genes (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase, or ACS genes) are responsible for production of ethylene.

Beyond sunlight: Explorers census 17,650 ocean species between edge of darkness and black abyss
Census of Marine Life scientists have inventoried an astonishing abundance, diversity and distribution of deep sea species that have never known sunlight - creatures that somehow manage a living in a frigid black world down to 5,000 meters (~3 miles) below the ocean waves.

Butterfly proboscis to sip cells
A butterfly's proboscis looks like a straw -- long, slender, and used for sipping -- but it works more like a paper towel, according to Konstantin Kornev of Clemson University. He hopes to borrow the tricks of this piece of insect anatomy to make small probes that can sample the fluid inside of cells.

Scientists at UA, collaborating institutions decode maize genome
Scientists from the University of Arizona led by Arizona Genomics Institute director Rod A. Wing and from collaborating institutions have deciphered the complete genetic code of the maize plant for the first time.

More Food Current Events and Food News Articles

	Newman's Own®Organics Adult Dog Food Chicken & Rice Formula, 12.5 Pound Bag by Newman's Own? Organics Newman's Own Organics Adult Dog Food Chicken & Rice Formula is anew holistic formula based on the newest concept in animal nutrition.
	Grand Edition Gourmet Food Gift Basket - Medium by Art of Appreciation Gift Baskets Impress friends, family or valued clients with this classic and elegant gift basket filled to overflowing with a grand selection of gourmet goodies - perfect for 2-4 guests to share. The medium basket is pictured above featuring the finest in Merlot Cheddar Flavored Cheese Spread, rich Italian Chocolate Espresso Cake, savory Italian Salami, Almond Roca Butter Crunch Cookies, decadent Belgian Chocolate truffles, Stone Ground Mustard, Sesame Crackers, Casse Croute Cheddar Crackers, and a Lady Walton White Chocolate Amaretto Cookie. Each gift is carefully hand crafted with attention to detail, tied with an elegant gold bow and includes a personalized gift message from you to convey your best wishes. Manufactured by Art of Appreciation Gift Baskets. TO DETERMINE WHEN YOUR GIFT WILL...
	In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan (Author) The companion volume to The New York Times bestseller The Omnivore's Dilemma Michael Pollan's lastbook , The Omnivore's Dilemma, launched a national conversation about the American way of eating; now In Defense of Food shows us how to change it, one meal at a time. Pollan proposes a new answer to the question of what we should eat that comes down to seven simple but liberating words: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Pollan's bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we can start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives, enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy, and bring pleasure back to eating.
	Ateco 12-Color Food Coloring Kit by Ateco Cake decorators will love this alternative to coloring drops and pastes. This gel is formulated with the necessary die concentration levels needed to achieve the most vibrant and brilliant colors available. Gel colors have a viscosity that offers the convenience of a pourable product, while making it easy to duplicate shades. Happily, gel color will not breakdown buttercream or non dairy icings as conventional liquid colors do. This set has just about any color you'll ever need for all your decorating projects.
	50's Decade Box Gift Basket - Classic 50's Candy by Hometown Favorites 50's Decade Box includes: Nik-L-Nip Wax Bottles, Chuckles, Charms Ass't Squares, Candy Buttons, Necco Wafers Chocolate, Cherry Mash, Necco Wafers Ass't, Mary Janes, Zagnut Bar, Sno-Caps, Violet Scented Gum, Charms Pop Sweet, Walnettos/Choclettos, Bubble Gum Cigars, Smoothie Peanut Butter Cup,Teaberry Gum, Candy Stix Cigarettes, Oh! Henry Bar, Gold Mine Nugget Gum, Wax Lips, Sen-Sen Breath Refreshment, Skybar, Chocolate Moon Pie, Black Licorice Pipe, Abba-Zaba, Slo-Poke Jr. Sucker, Vanilla French Chew Taffy, Cup-o-Gold, Chocolate Cigarettes, Slap Stix, Chick-o-stick, Butter Rum Lifesavers, Clark Bar, Goetze's Cow Tail, Haviland Wintergreen Patty, Vanilla Bun Bar.
	Melissa & Doug Food Groups by Melissa and Doug Who's hungry? Mix and match to make a yummy meal. This 21-piece set is full of well-balanced, nutritious pretend food. All four food groups are individually boxed in sturdy wooden crates for storage, sorting, and stacking.
	Fancy Feast Gourmet Cat Food 3-Flavor Grilled Variety Pack, 3-Ounce Cans (Pack of 24) by Fancy Feast Fancy Feast grilled gourmet cat food variety pack offers complete and balanced nutrition for adult cats, in a savory grilled texture, marinated with real meat juices. This variety pack contains beef feast, turkey feast and chicken feast.
	Sweet Success Gift Tower - Gourmet Food Gift Basket by ArtofAppreciation.com A gift of good taste and distinction - perfect for any gift giving occasion! We've created this set of handsome gift boxes to impress friends, family or your most important business clients... without breaking the budget! Beautiful gold gift boxes with green swirls and accents reflect elegance and good taste. Open each box to reveal Almond Roca Butter Crunch Cookies, World's Finest Chocolate Mint Candy, Chocolate Dipped Pretzels, Crunchy Toffee Gourmet Popcorn, decadent Chocolate Fudge, Almond Roca Candy and individually wrapped Butterscotch Candy to share and enjoy . Each gift is carefully hand crafted, tied with gold ribbon and includes a personalized gift message from you to convey your best wishes. Manufactured by Art of Appreciation Gift Baskets. We offer shipping and delivery...
	Gourmet Writer Food Decorator Pens, Assorted Colors, Set of 10 by Americolor Americolor Gourmet Writer Food Marker Pens -10 Color Set. Will write on any firm food surface in true and vibrant colors. Pen set packaged in a sturdy zipper pouch for convenient storage. Ten U.S. Certified food colors: Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Fleshtone, Pink, Red, Brown, & Black. U.S. Certified Food Color.
	Food Inc.: A Participant Guide: How Industrial Food is Making Us Sicker, Fatter, and Poorer-And What You Can Do About It by Participant Media (Editor), Karl Weber (Editor) Food, Inc. is guaranteed to shake up our perceptions of what we eat. This powerful documentary deconstructing the corporate food industry in America was hailed by Entertainment Weekly as “more than a terrific movie—it’s an important movie.” Aided by expert commentators such as Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, the film poses questions such as: Where has my food come from, and who has processed it? What are the giant agribusinesses and what stake do they have in maintaining the status quo of food production and consumption? How can I feed my family healthy foods affordably? Expanding on the film’s themes, the book Food, Inc. will answer those questions through a series of challenging essays by leading experts and thinkers. This book will encourage those inspired by the film to...