GB2543623A

GB2543623A - Batter compositions and methods of preparing batter-coated food products

Info

Publication number: GB2543623A
Application number: GB1614413.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Milward Rogers Anthony
Original assignee: V A Whitley & Co Ltd
Current assignee: V A Whitley & Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-08-24
Filing date: 2016-08-24
Publication date: 2017-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 2036-08-24
Also published as: GB2550505B; IE86845B1; IE20160208A1; GB2550505A; GB201711149D0; GB2543623B; GB201614413D0; GB201515014D0

Abstract

A batter composition for cooking in fat and/or oil comprises (i) 15 to 45 wt % fava bean flour; and (ii) 55 to 85 wt % percent water, wherein the fava bean flour and water component make up at least 80 percent of the mass of the batter composition and for every litre volume of the batter composition there is from 100g to 200g fava bean flour. Also disclosed is a method for reducing the fat and/or oil uptake properties of a wheat flour batter-coated food product, the method comprising the steps of (i) providing a batter composition comprising fava bean flour; and (ii) coating the wheat flour batter coated food product with the batter composition comprising fava bean flour. Further disclosed is the use of fava bean flour in a batter composition for reducing the fat and/or oil uptake of the batter composition and/or food product coated with the batter composition during cooking in fat and/or oil. Alternative names for fava beans include broad beans and vicia faba.

Description

BATTER COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF PREPARING BATTER-COATED

FOOD PRODUCTS

The present invention relates generally to batter compositions and methods for preparing batter-coated food products. In particular, the present invention is directed towards batter compositions for coating food products for cooking in fat and/or oil, the batter compositions comprising flour produced from fava beans. The present invention also relates to the use of fava bean flour for reducing the fat uptake of battered food products cooked in oil and/or fat.

Food products with a coating of batter, for example battered fish as traditionally found in British fish and chip shops, are typically prepared by coating a food product with a batter composition, usually in the form of a slurry, and cooking the coated food product in heated fat or oil, for example by shallow frying or deep frying. Partially cooked battered food products are also produced commercially for sale to customers, where the food product may be re-heated or fully cooked in a commercial or domestic kitchen. Often such pre-prepared battered food products are chilled or frozen before being provided to customers.

Batter compositions traditionally comprise a mixture or slurry of flour and water in which a food product may be at least partially immersed in order to coat the food product evenly with the batter composition. Wheat flour is typically used in batter compositions owing to its low cost and consumer preference for the taste and texture of food products battered in this way. In many cases the water content of the batter composition is simply provided by the addition of flour to water. However, other sources of water are also used, for example in “beer battered” food products where the flour is mixed with beer.

With the health concerns of consumers becoming an increasingly important factor in the food industry, one problem that arises with traditional battered food products is the substantial amount of fat and/or oil absorbed by these foods during cooking, which increases the calorific value of the food and reduces the nutritional value.

Attempts have been made in the past to reduce the uptake of fats in fried food products, including the use of additional coating layers to provide a barrier layer against fat absorption, or the addition of additives such as protein isolates to batter compositions.

Balasubramaniam etal. (Journal of Food Process Engineering, Volume 20, pages 17 to 29) discloses the use of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) film coatings for avoiding fat absorption during frying. US 5,019,406 discloses a batter containing powdered cellulose as an additive, which is used to produce battered and fried food having reduced lipid retention. US 2002/0001659 discloses an oil absorption retarder containing alginic esters which is used to retard oil absorption in fried foods, such as noodles, doughnuts and batter coatings.

The use of protein isolates to reduced fat uptake in fried foods has been described in US 5,217,736, which discloses the use of a barrier film cast from an aqueous latex suspension of water insoluble hydrophobic protein microspheres to reduce oil absorption or diffusion into potato products. US 5,232,721 discloses the use of a protein barrier comprising collagen, gelatine or casein to reduce uptake of the frying medium by fried foods.

While the above methods have shown some reduction in the fat uptake of food products cooked in fat and/or oil, these methods are largely based on the formation of barrier layers to retain moisture in the food product and reduce oil uptake from a frying medium. In particular, the use of long chain molecules that gel on heating, for example HPMC, MC and carboxymethylcellulose gum (CPC), can make the food product stronger resulting in a chewy and/or tough texture in the final cooked product.

In addition to this, there is increasing consumer preference for food products having undergone less processing. It would therefore be advantageous to avoid the use of further additives or coatings for preparing batter-coated food products.

There is therefore a need for compositions and methods which allow the production of high quality battered food products with a taste, texture and appearance which is appealing to consumers, which also incorporate reduced fat and/or oil uptake during cooking.

The present invention is based upon the surprising discovery that the use of batter compositions comprising fava bean flour for coating food products can reduce the fat and/or oil uptake of the battered food products, for instance, in comparison to typical wheat flour based batter compositions. Such fava bean based batter compositions have also been found to produce appealing and high quality battered food products and obviate the addition of further additives and coatings in order to reduce the fat and/or oil uptake properties.

It has additionally been found that batter compositions comprising fava bean flour have the benefit of reducing the quantity of flour needed to produce a given amount of a batter composition, for instance as compared to typical wheat flour batters. This advantageously allows the production of an increased volume of batter from a given amount of flour. Reducing the quantity of flour required to produce the batter composition reduces overall capital costs as well as distribution costs, as the batter composition is typically prepared on-site where the coating of the food product is performed.

Another surprising and beneficial effect found to occur when using batter compositions comprising fava bean flour is that the fat and/or oil in which a battered food product is cooked remains usable for longer than is possible when cooking traditionally battered food products. The cost of replacing fat and/or oil used for cooking battered food products is therefore reduced by the use of batter compositions comprising fava bean flour, which allow a greater number of battered food products to be cooked in the same fat and/or oil compared to traditional batters. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is believed that a fava bean batter coating on a food product acts as a more robust barrier layer between the food product and the fat and/or oil, preventing components of the food product leaching into the fat and/or oil and thus degrading the fat and/or oil.

The terms “fat”, “oil”, and “fat and/or oil” are used interchangeably herein to refer to fats and/or oils derived from plants or animals, for example triglyceride containing oils, and commonly used in methods of cooking food products, for example for shallow-frying or deep-frying foods. Examples of oils of plant origin which may be used for cooking include canola oil (i.e. rapeseed oil), sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, maize oil, groundnut oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, and palm oil. Examples of oils or fats of animal origin which may be used for cooking include tallow oil and lard.

The terms “batter-coated” or “battered” food products are used interchangeably herein to refer to food products which have a coating of a batter composition. The batter coating referred to may be cooked or part-cooked, or may be uncooked.

The term “cooked” referred to herein will be understood to refer to a food product which has undergone cooking, typically involving exposure to heat, to a degree that the food product obtained therefrom is edible and fit for consumption without further cooking being required.

The terms “part-cooked” or “partially cooked” as referred to herein will be understood to refer to the cooking of a food product to a degree such that further cooking of the food product is intended and/or necessary prior to consumption. For example “par-frying” or “flash frying” is known in the industry to refer to the practice of frying a food product for a short amount of time, often in order to set a batter coating prior to chilling or freezing the food product for distribution. “Fava beans” as referred to herein will be understood to refer to the Vicia faba bean and is also commonly referred to as (and is synonymous with) the “faba bean”, “broad bean”, “field bean”, “bell bean”, or “tic bean”. Fava bean flour as referred to herein refers to flour derived from fava beans, for example, flour derived from dehulled split fava bean cotyledons.

Fava bean flour is higher in protein, fibre, and trace minerals than traditional wheat flour, and also contains lower levels of overall carbohydrates, starch, and salt. Fava bean flour is also gluten-free. It is of increasing interest to consumers, for reasons of allergy or preference, to have gluten-free alternatives to food products which traditionally contain gluten, such as batters based on wheat flour. Replacing wheat flour with fava bean flour allows the preparation of gluten-free batter-coated food products with organoleptic qualities comparable to that of traditional wheat based battered food products.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a batter composition for cooking in fat and/or oil comprising: (a) from 15 to 45 weight percent fava bean flour; and (b) from 55 to 85 weight percent water; wherein the fava bean flour and water components make up at least 80 percent of the mass of the batter composition; and wherein for every litre volume of the batter composition there is from 100 g to 200 g weight of the fava bean flour.

It has been found that, by incorporating fava bean flour into a batter composition, effective and appealing batter coatings may be produced by using fava bean flour in an amount of from 15 to 45 weight percent of the total batter composition. Advantageously, for every litre of batter composition according to the present invention, there is from 100 g to 200 g weight of the fava bean flour. Traditional batter compositions based upon wheat flours require in excess of 200 g weight of wheat flour per litre of batter composition produced, for example over 210 g and up to 300 g weight of flour for every litre of batter composition. Therefore, a certain volume of batter composition according to the present invention may be produced using less flour than is normally employed for obtaining an equivalent volume of a wheat based batter composition.

In preferred embodiments, for every litre volume of the batter composition according to the invention there is from 115 g to 185 g weight of the fava bean flour. More preferably, for every litre volume of the batter composition according to the invention there is from 125 g to 175 g weight of the fava bean flour, and most preferably for every litre volume of the batter composition according to the invention there is from 140 g to 160 g weight of the fava bean flour, for example 150 g weight of fava bean flour per litre volume of the batter composition.

It is believed that the fava bean batter composition according to the present invention may comprise a larger volume of batter for a given amount of flour in comparison to a wheat flour batter as a result of entrained gas or air in the composition. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is believed that the higher protein content of fava bean flour in comparison to wheat flour provides increased stability during preparation of the batter (for instance, during mixing), leading to a more aerated batter. The structural integrity of the fava bean batter and its ability to entrain higher levels of air or gas than wheat flour batters means that an increased volume of fava bean based batter may be produced for a given weight of flour in comparison to wheat based batters. Meanwhile, the batter composition according to the present invention may benefit from an increased air entrainment whilst still being prepared in the same manner as is generally used in the art for preparing conventional wheat based batters.

Due to the properties discussed above, it is also believed that the fava bean batter composition according to the present invention can accommodate more of the air/gas resulting from, for instance, the use of higher proportions of leavening agent than is the case for wheat flour based batter compositions. In other words, the point at which the fava bean batter composition becomes saturated with air/gas may be appreciably higher than for wheat based batters. Thus, even if increased amounts of leavening agents are used with wheat based flours, air entrainment may not increase beyond the saturation point of the batter.

The increased degree of aeration of the fava bean batter in comparison to wheat batter is also believed to contribute or to enhance the reduced fat and/or oil absorption properties observed with fava bean batter compositions of the invention in comparison to wheat based batters.

In preferred embodiments, the batter composition according to the present invention comprises from 25 to 40 weight percent fava bean flour, preferably from 30 to 40 weight percent fava bean flour.

It will be appreciated that, while particularly preferred ratios for the flour content of the batter are specified herein, a batter composition having any content of fava bean flour may have a beneficial effect on a batter composition, for instance with regards to fat and/or oil uptake properties.

It will be understood that where reference is made to the water content of the batter compositions, this does not include the natural moisture content of the flour in the composition. Fava bean flours used in accordance with the present invention will typically have a moisture content of less than 10 weight percent, preferably less than 8 weight percent, and more preferably less than 5 weight percent, as measured using NFTA Method 2.2.2.5. Wheat flours typically have a moisture content up to 14 weight percent and therefore fava bean flours may be less hygroscopic. It will also be appreciated that the natural moisture content of the flour will depend upon the environmental humidity during storage of the flour. Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, it is thought that the lower moisture content of fava bean flour, as compared to wheat flour, may also allow the fava bean flour to absorb more water and thus swell more during batter preparation, also contributing to the increased volume of batter produced with fava bean flour in comparison to wheat flour.

The “moisture content” of a flour as referred to herein may be measured by any suitable method known in the art, for example by NFTA Method 2.2.2.5 or AACCI Method 44-01.01 or other suitable AACCI methods. Moisture content is commonly measured by removing the water from a sample of the flour and comparing the weight of the sample before and after the removal of water. Water is typically removed from a flour sample by heating in an air oven for a certain length of time. For instance, in the NFTA Method 2.2.2.5, the sample is heated in an oven at 105 °C (± 3 °C) for 3 hours.

According to the present invention the fava bean flour and water components make up at least 80 percent of the mass of the composition, preferably at least 90 percent, more preferably at least 93 percent. In some embodiments the flour may comprise a blend of fava bean flour with other flours, for example wheat flour or other non-wheat flour. However, in preferred embodiments of the present invention the flour content in the batter composition consists essentially of fava bean flour. Fava bean flours suitable for use with the present invention include, by way of example, flours provided by Ingredion Inc. such as Ingredion HOMECRAFT flours (for example, Pulse 3103).

In comparison to wheat flour based batter, for example, it has been found that batter compositions incorporating fava bean flour have a greatly reduced uptake of fat and/or oil during cooking. Batter compositions prepared using fava bean flour also give the advantage of producing battered food products having an appealing appearance, texture and flavour, even when compared to traditional wheat flour based batters.

The water used in the preparation of the batter composition may comprise still water or may comprise an alternative still or carbonated water-based liquid. The water in the batter composition may comprise carbonated water, for example soda water. The water-based liquid used in the batter composition may also contribute to the flavour and/or colour of the batter composition, for example beer may be used to obtain a “beer-battered” food product as is common in the food industry. It will be understood that when a carbonated liquid is used in the batter composition, a batter having a lighter texture may be obtained as a result of the gas (for example carbon dioxide) content of the composition.

It has also been discovered by the inventors that when the fava bean based flour comprises particles of a smaller size the flour and water components of the batter composition mix more effectively. Preferably, the fava bean flour comprises at least 90 weight percent particles with a particle size of less than 100 pm, more preferably less than 85 pm, and most preferably less than 75 pm. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the particle size referred to herein refers to the size of particles capable of passing through a mesh consisting of openings of the stated size. Suitable particle size analyzers include those supplied by Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems, for example the Mikro Air Jet Sieve analyser.

Batter compositions comprising flour and water may be prepared by any suitable method, and are typically prepared by the gradual addition of the dry flour to the water, whilst mixing the composition. The composition will usually be mixed either by hand with a whisk or using an electronic mixer, for example batter mixers supplied by Bold Catering Equipment Ltd, Metcalfe Catering Equipment Ltd, or Crypto Peerless Ltd, which typically employ a whisk attachment. However, any suitable mixing method and equipment may be used that are familiar to those of skill in the art.

The fava bean batter compositions of the present invention are preferably mixed using cold water. This minimises reaction of optional leavening agent prior to cooking. It is also preferred that gentle shear mixing is used with minimal mixing times, as over-mixing can result in a significant proportion of optional leavening agent reacting in the batter mixer. Mixing method does not have an effect on the oil and/or fat uptake reduction obtained using the batter compositions of the invention, although it may have an impact on the texture of the cooked batter.

It will be appreciated that batter compositions of various viscosities may be produced and used according to the present invention, depending on the desired end result. For example, the thickness of batter-coated on a food substrate may be varied in this way. It will also be understood by a person skilled in the art that the relative viscosity of a batter composition may be measured by determining the amount of time taken for a particular volume of the batter composition to flow through an aperture of particular dimensions. Such apparatus is commonly referred to as a “flow cup” and is commonly used in establishments preparing battered food products so as to ensure product consistency. For example, the viscosity may be measured using a Middleton Flow Cup, a Marsh Funnel, a Ford Viscosity Cup or a Zahn Cup as are known commonly in the art.

Determining the relative viscosity of a batter composition with a Middleton Flow Cup (see http://www.mjddjetonfoods.com/products/fish-a-chips-a-fast-food/50-fish-a-chips-a-fast- food-flow-cupl will typically comprise measuring the amount of time, in seconds, taken for 100 ml of batter to flow out under gravity from a cylindrical container with a diameter of 5 cm, through a cylindrical opening with a diameter of 7 mm and a length of 1 cm. It will be understood that a longer amount of time taken for a batter composition to drain from the cup corresponds to a higher viscosity batter composition. It will be appreciated that the skilled person is able to adjust the amount of flour added to the water to obtain a desired viscosity.

In preferred embodiments, the batter composition according to the present invention will have a viscosity measurement of from 35 to 60 seconds, as measured with a Middleton Flow Cup. Advantageously, the batter compositions comprising fava bean flour as described herein are able to maintain a high enough viscosity for suitably coating food products, whilst using less flour in the batter composition than would typically be used in conventional wheat flour based batter compositions.

Batter compositions according to the present invention may be provided as a simple mixture of the flour and water. In some situations it may however be desirable to add certain additives to the batter composition to alter the properties of the batter, for example leavening agents, flavouring agents, colouring agents, or preservatives.

Preferably the batter composition contains one or more leavening agents. A leavening agent as referred to herein is intended to refer to a substance, or combination of substances, which releases gas bubbles (usually carbon dioxide), which may then expand upon heating (cooking) to give a light, bubbly texture to a product. Leavening agents may include biological or preferably chemical agents, for example chemical leavening agents may comprise a combination of an alkaline and an acidic component which combine to produce carbon dioxide gas. Examples of alkaline components include sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, and potassium bitartrate. Examples of acidic components include monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, monosodium phosphate, sodium aluminium phosphate, and sodium acid pyrophosphate. Preferably, the leavening agent comprises a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and monocalcium phosphate.

The presence of a leavening agent is one means by which the aeration of the batter composition may be further enhanced beyond the level which is obtained through mixing of the batter during its preparation. Higher amounts of leavening agent may be desirable in order to increase or maximise the aeration of the fava bean batter composition, which is believed to enhance the fat/oil barrier properties of the batter composition, as discussed herein. In preferred embodiments, a leavening agent is present in the batter composition in an amount of from 1 to 7 weight percent based on the combination of flour and leavening agent, preferably from 3 to 6 weight percent, more preferably from 3.5 to 5.5 weight percent, for example 4.3 weight percent, based on the combination of flour and leavening agent.

In other preferred embodiments, the batter composition may include a leavening agent comprising a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and monocalcium phosphate in an amount of from 1 to 5 weight percent based on the combination of flour and leavening agent, preferably from 3 to 4 weight percent, for example 3.8 weight percent based on the combination of flour and leavening agent.

Where leavening agents are used, it is preferable that the water used to prepare the batter compositions of the invention is below ambient temperature, for example below 20 °C, more preferably below 15 °C, and most preferably between 5 °C and 10 °C. In this way, reaction of the leavening agent prior to cooking the batter composition is suppressed, increasing the leavening effect that is obtained upon cooking.

Preferably, the batter composition does not comprise any flavouring agents, as where these are present, they have been found to contribute to increased contamination and/or degradation of the fat and/or oil used for cooking battered food products. However, according to some embodiments, the batter composition comprises one or more flavouring agents. Flavouring agents will be understood to refer to any additive which may be added to the batter composition in order to provide a particular flavour to the batter. Any suitable flavouring agent may be used in the batter compositions of the present invention and may include for example, salt, pepper, “southern fried” flavourings, lemon flavourings, or smoky flavourings.

Preferably the batter compositions of the present invention do not comprise additional colouring agents. However, in some embodiments the batter composition comprises one or more colouring agents. Colouring agents may be used to alter the colour of the batter coating of a cooked batter-coated food product, for example to achieve a golden yellow colour. Examples of colouring agents include: annatto, milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, dextrose, lactose, turmeric and/or paprika.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product, wherein the batter coating composition prior to cooking is as defined herein according to the first aspect.

Preferably the batter-coated food product is at least partially cooked in fat and/or oil, for example by frying, such as shallow or deep frying.

The food product which has a batter-coating may be any suitable food product. Suitable food products may include fish, poultry, meat, vegetables, or fruit. For example the food product may include shellfish, finfish, chicken, turkey, duck, pork, beef, or venison. “Finfish” as referred to herein is intended to refer to so-called “true fish”, as distinguished from shellfish. Examples of finfish include cod, pollock, haddock, plaice, whitebait, salmon and trout. Examples of shellfish include crustaceans and molluscs, such as lobster, shrimp, crab and crayfish. Preferably the food product includes finfish.

The batter-coated food product may comprise a food product coated with a single layer of the batter composition. In some embodiments, additional coating layers may be provided between the food product and the batter coating, for example a thin layer of flour may be provided which will absorb excess water from the food product and may help the batter composition adhere to the food product. Rice flours are known to be used preferentially for this purpose. Other layers may comprise alternative batter compositions such that the batter-coated food product may have several different batter coating layers. For example a battered food product may have a layer configured to adhere to the surface of the food product, one or more intermediate layers to provide a particular taste or texture, and an outer layer configured to give the product an appealing flavour and appearance.

According to some embodiments the batter-coated food product may be chilled or frozen. Such food products are often chilled or frozen in order to preserve the batter-coated food products, in particular where the batter-coated food product is transported prior to sale to consumers and/or where the batter-coated food product is sold to customers in a part-cooked form for future cooking in a domestic or commercial environment.

It will be understood that where batter compositions incorporating fava bean flour are used in the preparation of a batter-coated food product cooked in fat and/or oil, the batter-coated food product will have a reduced fat and/or oil uptake in comparison to the same food product coated with a conventional wheat flour batter composition. It has been found that batter-coated, cooked food products prepared using the fava bean batter compositions according to the present invention typically absorb 15 to 50 percent less fat and/or oil during cooking in oil and/or fat, for example 20 to 30 percent less fat and/or oil, than conventional wheat based batter compositions. Absorption of fat and/or oil during cooking may also be further reduced for fava bean batter compositions comprising larger amounts of optional leavening agent.

Preferably, the cooked or part-cooked batter-coated food product of the present invention contains at least 15 percent less fat, preferably at least 20 percent less fat, than an equivalent food product (i.e. of the same dimensions and qualities) coated with a wheat flour batter composition, which has been cooked under equivalent conditions. As will be appreciated by the skilled person, in order to test and compare the fat content of one battered food product with one or more other battered food products, equivalent food products with the same weight and dimensions may be coated with the same volume of batter and cooked under equivalent conditions of temperature, for the same amount of time, and in the same fat and/or oil. In this regard, reference is made to the Examples described herein.

In preferred embodiments, the fat content of the cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product is less than 20 percent by weight, preferably less than 16 percent by weight, more preferably less than 14 percent by weight.

In preferred embodiments, the fat content of the cooked or part-cooked batter-coated food product increases by no more than 20 percent by weight compared to the uncooked batter-coated food product, preferably no more than 18 percent by weight, more preferably by no more than 16 percent by weight.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for preparing a cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product, the method comprising the steps of: providing a food product with a coating layer of a batter composition as defined herein according to the first aspect; and cooking the batter-coated food product in fat and/or oil.

The food product which is coated in the method of the third aspect may include any of the food products as described previously herein.

As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the step of providing a food product with a coating layer of the batter composition comprises applying the batter composition of the invention to the surface of the food product, by any means known in the art.

In some embodiments, the method will not comprise coating the food product with any layers other than a single layer of the batter composition. In alternative embodiments, additional coating layers may be provided between the food product and the batter coating, for example a thin layer of flour (for example rice flour) may be provided which will absorb excess water from the food product and may help the batter composition adhere to the food product. Thus, in some embodiments of the method of the present invention, before the food product is provided with a coating layer of the batter composition, a thin coating layer of flour, preferably comprising fava bean flour or rice flour, is applied to the food product.

Other coating layers may comprise alternative batter compositions such that the batter-coated food product may have several different batter coating layers according to the requirement of each layer. For example a battered food product may have a layer configured to adhere to the surface of the food product, one or more intermediate layers to provide a particular taste or texture, and an outer layer configured to give the product an appealing flavour and appearance. Preferably, where the food product is provided with a plurality of coating layers, at least the outer coating layer is of the fava bean batter composition according to the present invention.

The step of cooking the batter-coated food product in fat and/or oil will preferably comprise frying in fat and/or oil. Typical oils used for frying include for example, canola oil (i.e. rapeseed oil), palm oil and tallow oil. Frying may refer to deep frying or may refer to other methods of frying such as shallow frying. The frying of the batter-coated food product may be performed at a temperature of from 160 °C to 200 °C, preferably from 170 °C to 190 °C, more preferably from 175 °C to 185 °C.

It will be appreciated that the length of time that the batter-coated food product is cooked for can vary according to the size and desired finish of the batter-coated food product as well as the temperature of cooking. Suitably, the batter-coated food product is cooked for from 20 seconds to 20 minutes. Preferably the batter-coated food product is cooked for from 3 to 8 minutes, more preferably from 4 to 7 minutes, for example 5 minutes.

In some embodiments, the batter-coated food product is only part-cooked prior to distribution to customers. “Par frying” or “Flash-frying” are often used in this instance, and therefore the method may comprise cooking for a shorted amount of time than when the battered food product is fully cooked. For example, the battered food product may be part-cooked in fat and/or oil for from 20 seconds to 2 minutes. The temperature of cooking may be as described previously herein, or in some embodiments may be at a higher temperature.

The method may additionally comprise the step of chilling or freezing the cooked or part cooked, batter-coated food product. In particular, part-cooked, batter-coated food products may be chilled or frozen and distributed to consumers so that the batter-coated food product is preserved until the consumer finishes the cooking in a domestic or commercial kitchen. Further cooking may be in oil and/or fat or alternative cooking methods may be implemented, for example, oven baking or steaming. In that regard, where a batter-coated food product comprising a fava bean batter composition is prepared by means of two separate steps of cooking in fat and/or oil (e.g. part cooked in a first frying step, frozen, then fully cooked in a second frying step) a relative reduction in fat and/or oil absorption is also observed in the second cooking step.

It will be appreciated that by preparing a cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product by the method of the present invention, a battered food product having a reduced fat content in comparison to traditionally battered food products may be obtained. A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a method for reducing the fat and/or oil uptake properties of a wheat flour batter-coated food product, the method comprising the steps of: providing a batter composition comprising fava bean flour; and coating at least part of the wheat flour batter-coated food product with the batter composition. As will be appreciated, in order to adhere the fava bean batter composition to the wheat batter, the wheat flour batter-coated food product may be part-cooked, chilled or dusted with flour to facilitate coating of the fava bean batter composition. In this way, the fava bean batter composition can “shield” the wheat flour batter and the food product from fat and/or oil during cooking, reducing the fat and/or oil uptake into the batter-coated food product. “Reducing the fat and/or oil uptake properties” as referred to herein will be understood to refer to reducing the amount of fat and/or oil which is absorbed by a batter-coated food product during cooking in fat and/or oil, as compared to cooking without the fava bean based batter coating.

In some embodiments, the wheat flour batter-coated food product which is to be coated has been part-cooked, wherein the cooking is not in fat and/or oil. For example, the wheat flour batter-coated food product may be part cooked by, for example, baking or steaming in an oven, then coated with the fava bean batter composition, and then cooked in fat and/or oil.

In preferred embodiments, the batter composition comprising fava bean flour, as referred to in relation to the fourth aspect, is as described herein in relation to the first aspect.

In a fifth aspect, there is provided a use of fava bean flour in a batter composition for reducing the fat and/or oil uptake of the batter composition and/or a food product coated with the batter composition during cooking in fat and/or oil.

In a sixth aspect, there is provided a cooked or part-cooked, fava bean batter-coated food product prepared by any method described hereinbefore which incorporates use of the fava bean batter composition according to the invention. Preferably, the fat content of the cooked or part-cooked batter-coated food product increases by no more than 18 percent by weight compared to the uncooked batter-coated food product, more preferably by no more than 16 percent by weight.

The present invention also provides a batter composition comprising fava bean flour when used in a method for reducing and/or preventing the fat and/or oil uptake of a batter-coated food product during cooking in fat and/or oil; or for reducing the fat and/or oil uptake properties of a batter-coated food product.

The present invention will now be discussed further by reference to the following examples and Figure, where: FIGURE 1: corresponds to a plot showing the results of fat content analyses conducted by Foodtest Laboratories Ltd (UK) in respect of the batter-coated fish products FP1 to FP4.

Examples

Comparative Example 1 - Preparation of a traditional wheat flour batter composition 1.5 kg of wheat flour was mixed with leavening agent (3.9 weight percent based on the combination of flour and leavening agent) before being added to 3 litres of water having a temperature of 12.5 °C and mixed for 75 seconds using a “Bold Batter Mixer” (supplied by Bold Catering Equipment Ltd), producing 7 litres of the batter composition. The mixture was then allowed to rest in a fridge at 2 to 5 °C for 20 minutes before the relative viscosity of the batter composition was determined using a Middleton Flow Cup and was found to be between 45 and 50 seconds flow time through the flow cup.

Example 1 - Preparation of a fava bean batter composition 1.5 kg of fava bean flour, having 90 weight percent of particles with a size less than 74 pm (corresponding to a US sieve size of 200 mesh) and less than 10 weight percent moisture content (as measured by NFTA method 2.2.2.5), was mixed with leavening agent (4.3 weight percent based on the combination of flour and leavening agent) before being added to 3 litres of water having a temperature of 12.5 °C and mixed for 75 seconds using a “Bold Batter Mixer” (supplied by Bold Catering Equipment Ltd) producing 10 litres of the batter composition. The mixture was then allowed to rest in a fridge at 2 to 5 °C for 20 minutes before the relative viscosity of the batter composition was determined using a Middleton Flow Cup and found to be between 45 and 50 seconds flow time through the flow cup.

It will be noted that, despite using the same weight of flour for the composition according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1, as well as using the same preparation process, a significantly larger volume of batter composition was produced in Example 1 using the fava bean flour than for the wheat based batter composition according to Comparative Example 1.

Example 2 - Preparation of a cooked, battered fish product and fat analysis thereof

Haddock fillets (2 x 112 g) were separately coated with the batter compositions of Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 and deep fried in palm oil at 185 °C for 5 minutes to produce cooked battered fish products (“FP1” and “FP2” respectively). Each sample was then rested in a hot cabinet for 10 minutes.

The cooked, battered fish products were subjected to fat analysis tests, which were conducted by Foodtest Laboratories Ltd (UK). Results of the analysis showed the battered fish product made using the traditional wheat batter of Comparative Example 1 (FP1) contained 21.4 g fat per 100g and that the battered fish product made using the fava bean batter of Example 1 (FP2) contained 16.9 g fat per 100g. These results are also represented graphically in Figure 1. After coating the fish, but prior to cooking in oil, both the fish coated with the fava bean batter and the fish coated with the wheat flour batter were determined to have approximately the same level of fat (around 1.1 g fat per 100 g) based on the fat content of the batter and fish prior to cooking. Therefore, the lower level of fat observed for the fava bean battered, cooked fish product FP2 may be attributed to reduced oil uptake during the cooking process, corresponding to approximately 22 % less fat/oil uptake compared to FP1. This benefit is believed to be related to the physical integrity of batter compositions prepared using fava bean flour, which exhibit greater fat/oil barrier properties than wheat based batters.

Example 3 - Preparation of a cooked battered fish product and fat analysis thereof

The preparation and analysis of Example 2 was repeated for two further samples of fava bean batter composition according to the invention, except that cod fillets were used instead of haddock fillets, and the batter composition contained 5.3 weight percent leavening agent based on the combination of flour and leavening agent. The cooked, battered fish products were subjected to fat analysis tests, which were conducted by Foodtest Laboratories Ltd (UK). The two fava bean battered cooked fish products produced following cooking in oil (FP3 and FP4) were determined to have fat contents of 13.3 g fat per 100 g and 11.6 g fat per 100 g, respectively. These results are also represented graphically in Figure 1. Since there is only minor difference in the fat content of haddock versus cod, these results also compare favourably with the fat analysis results for the wheat battered fish product (FP1) of Example 2, indicating that there is significantly less fat/oil uptake during cooking in the case of the fava bean batter-coated fish products (FP3 and FP4). Again, the lower fat uptake is believed to be a consequence of the physical integrity of batter compositions prepared using fava bean flour, which exhibit greater fat/oil barrier properties than wheat based batters.

In addition, the results of Example 3 are also considered to demonstrate that increasing the level of aeration in the fava bean batter composition may enhance the oil barrier properties yet further. It will be appreciated that use of a higher amount of leavening agent (5.3 weight percent in Example 3 versus 4.3 weight percent in Example 2) gives rise to an even lower fat/oil uptake, as shown by the fat analysis results for FP3 and FP4. This is believed to be due to increased aeration in the fava bean batter compositions of Example 3 compared with the fava bean composition of Example 2. Increasing the amount of leavening agent in the composition is not considered sufficient in itself to reduce oil uptake properties. It is instead the ability of the batter composition to entrain additional gas/air resulting from the additional amounts of leavening agent that is believed to confer the benefit. As discussed above, fava bean batter compositions of the invention have been found to be able to entrain greater amounts of air/gas than conventional wheat based batters.

Example 4 - General preparation of batter samples A to F and battered fish products using the same.

The different batter flours, corresponding to samples A to F below, were each separately added to the same volume of water, at the same temperature, whilst mixing the compositions and adding flour as necessary until a similar viscosity was achieved for each of the batter compositions.

Sample A: Commercially obtained wheat based batter flour comprising a wheat flour with a minor amount of salt, rice flour, colouring agent (annatto), and leavening agent.

Sample B: Commercially obtained wheat based batter flour comprising a wheat flour with a minor amount of salt, rice flour, colouring agent (annatto), and leavening agent.

Sample C: Wheat based batter flour comprising a wheat flour and 3.8 weight percent of leavening agent.

Sample D: Wheat based batter flour comprising a wheat flour and 3.8 weight percent of leavening agent (different to that of Sample C).

Sample E: Fava bean based batter flour comprising a fava bean flour (with 90 weight percent of particles with a size less than 74 pm and less than 10 weight percent moisture content) and 3.8 weight percent of leavening agent.

Sample F: Fava bean based batter flour comprising a fava bean flour (with 90 weight percent of particles with a size less than 74 pm and less than 10 weight percent moisture content) and 3.8 weight percent of leavening agent (different to that of Sample E).

Cod fillets of identical size were separately coated in the same manner with the batter compositions A to F and deep fried in rapeseed oil at 180 °C for 5 minutes, to produce the cooked, battered fish products, before being rested in a hot cabinet for 10 minutes.

Example 5 - Organoleptic Testing A 7-member panel assessed the four different wheat batter-coated cooked fish products (coated with batter according to Samples A to D from Example 4) and the two different fava bean batter-coated cooked fish products (coated with Samples E & F from Example 4), judging in a “blind test” on the basis of i) appearance, ii) texture, iii) taste, and iv) oil retention/greasiness and scored using a nine point hedonic scale: 0 = very poor 3 = marginally acceptable 6 = very acceptable 9 = outstanding.

Results are presented in Table 1 below.

Table 1

The results of the blind test indicated that all 7 members agreed unanimously in all categories that the battered fish products prepared using the fava bean batter (Samples E and F) were superior to those prepared using conventional wheat batter (Samples A to D). The organoleptic test results demonstrate that cooked, battered food products prepared using fava bean batters compare well with food products prepared using conventional wheat batters. Indeed, since the level of fat/oil uptake in the fava bean batter-coated, cooked food products has been shown to be less than that which is observed in corresponding wheat batter-coated, cooked food products, it is apparent that this may also have benefits for both taste and appearance of the cooked food product.

Claims

1. A batter composition for cooking in fat and/or oil comprising: (a) from 15 to 45 weight percent fava bean flour; and (b) from 55 to 85 weight percent water; wherein the fava bean flour and water components make up at least 80 percent of the mass of the batter composition; and wherein for every litre volume of the batter composition there is from 100 g to 200 g weight of the fava bean flour.

2. A batter composition according to Claim 1, wherein for every litre volume of the batter composition there is from 115 g to 185 g weight of the fava bean flour.

3. A batter composition according to Claim 2, wherein for every litre volume of the batter composition there is from 125 g to 175 g weight of the fava bean flour.

4. A batter composition according to Claim 3, wherein for every litre volume of the batter composition there is from 140 g to 160 g weight of the fava bean flour.

5. A batter composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the total flour content in the batter composition consists essentially of fava bean flour.

6. A batter composition according to any of the preceding claims, comprising from 25 to 40 weight percent fava bean flour, preferably from 30 to 40 weight percent fava bean flour.

7. A batter composition according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fava bean flour comprises at least 90 weight percent particles with a particle size of less than 100 pm, preferably less than 85 pm, more preferably less than 75 pm.

8. A batter composition according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more leavening agents.

9. A batter composition according to Claim 8, wherein the leavening agent comprises a biological or a chemical leavening agent.

10. A batter composition according to Claim 8, wherein the leavening agent comprises a combination of an alkaline and an acidic component which react together to produce carbon dioxide gas.

11. A batter composition according to Claim 10, wherein the alkaline component is selected from sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, and potassium bitartrate.

12. A batter composition according to Claim 10 or Claim 11, wherein the acidic component is selected from monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, monosodium phosphate, sodium aluminium phosphate, and sodium acid pyrophosphate.

13. A batter composition according to any one of Claims 8 to 12, wherein the leavening agent is present in the batter composition in an amount of from 1 to 7 weight percent based on the combination of flour and leavening agent, preferably from 3 to 6 weight percent, more preferably from 3.5 to 5.5 weight percent.

14. A batter composition according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more flavouring agents, for example salt, pepper, or lemon flavourings.

15. A batter composition according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more colouring agents, for example milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, dextrose, lactose, turmeric, or paprika.

16. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product, wherein the batter coating composition prior to cooking is as defined in any of Claims 1 to 15.

17. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to Claim 16, wherein the food product is selected from fish, poultry, meat, vegetable or fruit.

18. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to Claim 17, wherein the food product is selected from finfish, shellfish, chicken, turkey, duck, pork, beef, or venison.

19. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to Claim 18, wherein the food product is finfish, for example cod, pollock, haddock, plaice, whitebait, salmon, or trout.

20. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to any of Claims 16 to 18, wherein the food product has been at least partially cooked in fat and/or oil.

21. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to Claim 20, wherein the fat content of the cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product is less than 20 percent by weight, preferably less than 16 percent by weight, more preferably less than 14 percent by weight.

22. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to Claim 20 or Claim 21, wherein the fat content of the cooked or part-cooked batter-coated food product is no more than 18 percent by weight greater than the fat content of the batter-coated food product prior to cooking.

23. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to Claim 22, wherein the fat content of the cooked or part-cooked batter-coated food product is no more than 16 percent by weight, preferably no more than 14 percent by weight, greater than the fat content of the batter-coated food product prior to cooking.

24. A cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product according to any one of Claims 16 to 23, wherein the cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product comprises one or more flavouring agents, for example flavouring agents as defined in Claim 14.

25. A method for preparing a cooked or part-cooked, batter-coated food product, the method comprising the steps of: providing a food product with a coating layer of a batter composition as defined in any of Claims 1 to 15; and cooking the batter-coated food product in fat and/or oil.

26. A method according to Claim 25, wherein the food product is as defined in any of Claim 17 to 19.

27. A method according to Claim 25 or 26, wherein the cooking in fat and/or oil comprises deep-frying in fat and/or oil.

28. A method according to any one of Claims 25 to 27, further comprising chilling or freezing the batter-coated food product obtained.

29. A method according to any one of Claims 25 to 28, wherein before the food product is provided with a coating layer of the batter composition, a coating layer of flour, preferably comprising fava bean flour and/or rice flour, is applied to the food product.

30. A method for reducing the fat and/or oil uptake properties of a wheat flour batter-coated food product, the method comprising the steps of: providing a batter composition comprising fava bean flour; and coating the wheat flour batter-coated food product with the batter composition comprising fava bean flour.

31. A method according to Claim 30, wherein the wheat flour batter-coated food product which is to be coated has been part-cooked and not in fat and/or oil.

32. A method according to Claim 31, wherein the batter composition comprising fava bean flour is as defined in any of Claims 1 to 15.

33. A use of fava bean flour in a batter composition for reducing the fat and/or oil uptake of the batter composition and/or a food product coated with the batter composition during cooking in fat and/or oil.

34. A use according to Claim 33, wherein the batter composition is as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 15 and/or wherein the food product is as defined in any of Claims 17 to 19.

35. A cooked or part-cooked, fava bean batter-coated food product prepared by the method of any of Claims 25 to 32.