NZ299661A - Bread crumb coating mix compositions for vegetables to produce golden brown textured surface with the taste of fried coated food - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number £99661 New Zealand No. 299661 International No. PCI! TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority dates: 31.10.1995; Complete Specification Filed: 29.10.1996 Classification:^) A23P1/08 Title of Invention: Seasoning and coating mix composition for crispy vegetables Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form: KRAFT FOODS, INC., a Delaware corporation of Three Lakes Drive, Northfield, Illinois 60093, United States of America NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION 299 6 Patents Form No. 5 OurRef: JB207118 Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION SEASONING AND COATING MIX COMPOSITION FOR CRISPY VEGETABLES We, KRAFT FOODS, INC., a corporation of Delaware, USA of Three Lakes Drive, Northfield, Illinois 60093, United States Of America hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: (followed by page 1a) la 299 6 6 Case 21341 SEASONING AND COATING MIX COMPOSITION FOR CRIBPY VEGETABLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to dry, coating compositions for vegetables and more particularly is directed to seasoning and coating mix compositions which are to be applied to the vegetables prior to baking. The coating compositions of the present invention provide, on 10 baking, vegetables having a crispy surface comparable to a batter-fried product in appearance, texture and taste, without the need for an egg wash or a flip step generally used in other coating mix cooking processes or in pan frying processes.

Description of the Prior Art The deep frying of foods is well known to the consumer. The taste, texture and appearance of fried foods is usually preferred to that of baked comestibles. 20 Typically, the frying of many foods, including vegetables, involves the coating of the food with a batter consisting essentially of flour, milk, eggs and seasoning. The batter-coated food is then breaded with a light coating of flour and/or bread crumbs and then fried 25 to develop the consumer-favored, characteristic crispy, brown-colored coating associated with fried foods.

Frying is generally carried out by either deep-fat frying (i.e., immersing the comestible in hot oil or fat), or pan frying (i.e., placing at least sufficient oil or fat (followed by page 2) 2996 6 1 in a pan to cook a surface of the food). Unfortunately, a substantial amount of oil or fat is generally required to fry comestibles and the preparation of such foods has proven to be somewhat inconvenient to the preparer. Any 5 type of frying can be a very messy process and one must always be cautious against the ever-present danger of the explosive splattering of the oil. Moreover, it has been recognized that certain disadvantages result in cooking foods in this manner. In particular, the oil or fat in 10 which the food is fried remains at least partially on the food resulting in a "greasy" feel or taste to the food. In addition, there are certain health considerations due to the presence of added fats and oils in such foods in terms of dietary considerations as well as physiological 15 consequences of their consumption.

As an alternative to frying, many consumers prefer the ease and simplicity of conventional baking. Accordingly, due to the negative aspects of frying, there has been recent developments of coatings and the like 20 which attempt to impart a fried appearance to a baked foodstuff, including the appealing color, taste and texture associated with fried foods, without the need of frying. These attempts have met with varying degrees of success.

U.S. Patent No. 3,586,512 to Mancuso et al. and U.S.

Patent No. 3,843,827 to Lee et al. both disclose the preparation of baked comestibles having a fried texture and appearance. The Mancuso et al. patent involves a dye system which changes color during cooking, while the Lee 30 et al. patent uses a unique batter and dry mix coating. While both these systems are effective to some extent, each has its individual drawbacks. The Mancuso et al. patent, as noted above, requires the use of a dye, while Lee et al. require a manufacturer to package the product 299 6 6 in two separate pouches (i.e., one which contains ingredients for the batter and the other for the dry mix coating), and requires relatively complicated consumer preparation.

Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 3,852,501 to Fazzina et al. is directed to a coating which will provide a baked food with a surface similar in appearance, color and texture to that of coated, deep, fat-fried foods.

However, Fazzina et al. require high levels of shortening 10 in their coatings to obtain the desired results.

Other patents directed to similar goals include U.S. Patent Nos. 4,068,009, 4,260,637 and 4,496,601, all three to Rispoli et al., and 4,208,442 to Evans et al. The '009 patent involves a bread crumb coating composition 15 which is applied to a batter-coated comestible, while the '637 patent avoids the need for a batter and provides a dry bread crumb coating that includes wheat gluten as a suitable source of protein. The '601 patent discloses a dry coating formulation having a pre-fried batter 20 component (which is flour-based), a bread crumb component, a starch component and a film forming agent, while the patent to Evans et al. discloses a dry coating composition comprised of bulking agents, a protein and flour.

Although the baked products provided by the above- noted patents are all acceptable to the consumer and can be more conveniently prepared than fried foods, some of the coatings only provide the "oily" feel in the mouth which is associated with fried foods, while others only 30 provide a limited "crispiness" texture which fried foods possess. Remarkably, a coating composition has not yet been developed which can be applied to a food prior to baking and which will result in a baked product having complete fried-like characteristics. 299661 Accordingly, it is evident that there is a need for a coating composition which can provide baked-coated foodstuffs having the taste, texture and appearance of a fried-coated food, but which have not been fried.

Furthermore, it would be preferred to provide such a coating which would result in a foodstuff low in added fats and cholesterol as compared to deep-fried or pan-fried foods, but yet delivers a crispy-like texture to the surface of the foodstuff.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a unique seasoning and coating mix composition for imparting the texture, taste and appearance of batter-fried foods to 15 baked vegetables. The coating mix compositions of the present invention, when applied to vegetable pieces, and subsequently subjected to a baking step, enhance the natural flavors of the vegetables without making them too oily, yet result in a very crispy-coated product, without 20 the need of any flip step or egg wash. The seasoning and coating mix compositions of the present invention also result in a cholesterol-free, lower fat finished product as compared to fried foods.

The coating compositions of the present invention 25 generally comprise bread crumbs coated with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, mixed with a modified starch, powdered shortening, a carbohydrate adhesive (such as a cold-water soluble gum), proteins and vegetable lecithin. Some optional, but preferred, components include 30 seasonings, reducing sugar and food acids. It is specifically noted that the seasoning and coating mix compositions of the present invention do not require and do not use flour. The resulting compositions may be applied to a wide variety of vegetables, either raw or - 2996 6 1 thawed from a frozen state, prior to baking in order to impart the batter-like texture, taste and appearance of fried foods after cooking. Briefly stated, the present invention is practiced by moistening the surface of the 5 vegetable or vegetables, coating the moistened vegetable(s) with the seasoning and coating mix composition of this invention and then baking the coated vegetable(s) in a conventional oven.

Through the use of a unique combination of 10 ingredients, a coating composition has been developed which, when applied to vegetable pieces before baking, provides upon baking, a vegetable product possessing the crispy surface texture associated with fried foods. The unique farinaceous seasoning and coating mix compositions 15 of the present invention satisfactorily achieve a crisp texture on the surface of the vegetable pieces without the vegetable product being soggy and without the use of an egg wash which is conventionally used to obtain the same end result in conjunction with pan frying or deep 20 fat frying.

In accordance with the present invention, a seasoning and coating mix composition is prepared by coating bread crumbs with from 2 to 25% vegetable oil by weight of the crumb-oil blend. Typically the vegetable 25 oil will be partially hydrogenated oil. The resulting bread crumb/partially oil mixture is then subsequently mixed with a pre-blended matrix to produce a seasoning and coating mix composition comprising 25 to 75% bread crumbs, 5 to 20% vegetable oil from 2 to 20% by weight of 30 a modified starch, from 2 to 20% by weight powdered shortening, from 1 to 10% by weight of a gum adhesive, from 2 to 20% by weight protein, and from 0.2 to 5% by weight vegetable lecithin. Unless otherwise indicated, 29 9 6 the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the coating composition, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OP THE INVENTION The major ingredient of the seasoning and coating mix compositions of the present invention, as can be seen from the above general description, is bread crumbs. The bread crumbs may be of a formulation and may be processed by any means common in the art. However, in order to 10 obtain the optimum crispness in the final product, it is preferred to use Japanese bread crumbs. What is meant by Japanese bread crumbs is that the bread crumbs consist essentially of wheat flour, yeast and salt, and have an elongated, porous and striated shape and structure (as 15 described in U.S. Patent No. 4,068,009 to Rispoli et al.). One of the crispiest known commercially-available bread crumbs of this type is double toasted Japanese bread crumbs (made available by Newly Weds Foods, Chicago, Illinois). Besides resulting in a very crispy 20 product, another advantage of using this type of bread crumb is that it is preservative-free.

The bread crumbs used in the present invention preferably have a particular size wherein at least 2% by weight of the crumbs are retained on a U.S.S. 8 mesh 25 screen, and at least 32% by weight of the crumbs are retained on a U.S.S. 14 mesh screen. As stated earlier, the coating compositions of this invention generally are comprised of bread crumbs in a range of from 25 to about 75% by weight, and preferably from about 40 to about 55% 30 by weight of the total composition.

In preparing the seasoning and coating mix compositions of the present invention, the bread crumbs are initially coated or blended with a sufficient amount of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil to form a uniform 7- 29 9 6 6 1 bread crumb/oil blend. This blend can be formed by any method common in the art such as by adding the oil to a ribbon blender containing the bread crumbs and mixing for a period of about 2 to 5 minutes. The amount of 5 partially hydrogenated vegetable oil should range from 2 to 25% by weight of the blend and preferably from about 15 to about 20% by weight of the blend. Alternatively, it can be stated that the coating compositions of this invention comprise the partially hydrogenated vegetable 10 oil in a range from 5 to 20% by weight, and preferably from about 8 to about 14% by weight of the total coating composition. The presence of an oil component in the coating mix is desirable to prevent dusting of the mix during production.

The partially hydrogenated vegetable oils employed in the present invention are those which are extracted from a variety of plant seeds, nuts, beans and fruits. Sources of vegetable oil include soybean, cottonseed, peanut, corn germ, olive, coconut, sesame, sunflower 20 seed, cocoa beans and the like. A blend or partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils is preferred for reasons of cost and flavor.

The bread crumb/oil blend described above is then mixed with a pre-blended matrix comprising a modified 25 starch, powdered shortening, a no-fat dry seasoning adhesive, protein, and vegetable lecithin to form the coating mix compositions of the present invention.

In its native form, starches do not have the properties desired by food processors and are therefore modified in 30 any one of a number of ways. Although any conventionally known modified, starch could be used in the compositions of the present invention, it is generally known that the use of a high amylose starch will make breaded products more crispy. Accordingly, a modified high-amylose starch 29 9 6 is preferred to be employed in the present invention in order to obtain the crispiest possible product. Of the modified, high-amylose starches which are currently known, CRISP FILM®, a product of National Starch and 5 Chemical Company, is most preferred. CRISP FILM® is a modified, high amylose corn starch and has been predominantly used in fried foods. It is known to provide improved structure and texture to extruded food products and exhibits good film-forming characteristics. 10 It is also known to act as a protective barrier when used as a coating for fried foods. The film-forming characteristics of CRISP FILM® allow it to reduce oil absorption thereby increasing product crispness and reducing moisture loss in deep fat fried foods. 15 The modified starch is present in the seasoning and coating compositions of the present invention in an amount ranging from 2 to 20% by weight of the total coating composition and preferably in an amount from about 6 to about 14% by weight.

Also essential to the coating compositions of the present invention is the presence of powdered shortening in an amount ranging from 2 to 20% by weight of the total coating composition. A range of from about 6 to about 12% by weight is preferred, as is the use of powdered 25 vegetable shortening. A powdered vegetable shortening is preferred nutritionally over animal-derived shortenings as it has no cholesterol and about half the saturates of animal fats. The powdered shortening, in addition to some of the other ingredients discussed 30 below, is used to bring about surface-frying of the coating matrix or composition. The use of powdered shortening in combination with the vegetable oil coating the crumbs enables production of a coating mix which has a relatively high level of total triglycerides, typically 2996 6 1 12 to 35%, preferably 15 to 25% by weight, without adversely affecting the handling or flow properties of the composition. The weight ratio of oil to powdered shortening will preferably be 1:0.5-2.

A further essential ingredient to the coating compositions of this invention is a dry, no-fat, carbohydrate adhesive which is to comprise from 1 to 10% by weight of the total coating composition, and preferably from about 2.5 to about 6% by weight. The 10 purpose of this ingredient is to assist the coating composition in sticking to the moistened surface of the vegetable pieces during preparation, thus precluding the need for an egg wash.

The carbohydrate adhesive employed in the present 15 invention can be any conventionally known cold-water soluble, non-gelling carbohydrate material. Gum arabic (also known as gum acacia) is the preferred gum. other gums which may be employed in the present invention include xanthan, and arabinogalactan gums. Cold-water 20 soluble, starch materials, such as PURITY® GUM 59, a low-viscosity modified food starch derived from waxy ma: :e, and hydrolyzed starch materials such as N-TACK*, corn syrup solids from waxy maize, both from National Starch and Chemical Corporation, Bridgewater, New Jersey would 25 also be useful as the carbohydrate adhesive.

A suitable carbohydrate adhesive is provided by TIC GUMS, Inc. (Belcamp, Maryland) under the name TIC PRETESTED® NO FAT SNACK DRY Powder and is the preferred dry, carbohydrate adhesive for use in the compositions of 30 the present invention. This product is a blend of gum arabic (60-70%) and corn syrup solids (30-40%) and was specially engineered to provide superior adhesion properties. This ingredient does in fact provide the major portion of the adhesion properties which exist in 2996 6 1 the formulation of the coating compositions of the present invention. This ingredient is also believed to be able to contribute to browning of the coating upon baking due to a reaction between the reducing sugars in 5 corn syrup solids and any protein and acid components contained in the composition. Although the provider of this product recommends its use as an aqueous slurry, it has surprisingly been found that its application in a dry mix formulation in the compositions of the present 10 invention enhance the adhesives properties of the coating compositions.

An additional integral ingredient in the present compositions is protein. As noted above, proteins are present in the coating compositions of the present 15 invention in a range from about 2 to about 20% by weight of the total coating composition, and preferably, from about 6 to about 12% by weight. Preferably, the protein in the coating compositions of the present invention comprise two particular types of protein, namely soy 20 and/or whey protein and wheat protein. Most preferably, the soy and/or whey protein comprises from about 6.0 to about 8.0% by weight of the total composition, while the wheat protein comprises from about 1.0 to about 3.0% by weight of the total composition.

With respect to the soy protein, a soy protein isolate is most preferred to be used. Any conventionally known soy protein or soy protein isolate may be used in this invention. A particular soy protein isolate, available in the marketplace under the name SUPRO® 670 30 (about 90% protein), has been found to be quite effective. SUPRO® 670 (available from Protein Technologies International, St. Louis, Missouri) is a highly digestible isolated soy protein which offers excellent nutritional properties. The whey protein may 299 6 6 1 -li- be included in the composition in the form of whey protein concentrate. The soy and/or whey protein is also the protein which, in combination with the reducing sugars in corn syrup solids and the acid portion in lemon 5 juice solids, can serve to bring about the browning reaction of the coated product. Soy or whey protein is also believed to enhance the crispiness of the baked coating by providing support to the matrix structure.

The wheat protein used in the present invention is 10 important in that it acts similar to gelatin with respect to assisting in the thermal setting of the coating mix. A preferred wheat protein is wheat gliadin. Gliadin is the soluble protein fraction of wheat gluten and, apart from its heat setting behavior, delivers a minor portion 15 of the adhesive properties of the present formulation in addition to that provided by the gum adhesive component. Gliadin becomes quite sticky when it comes in contact with water at room temperature, hence its adhesive properties. Gelatin does not possess such an adhesive 20 nature owing to its solubility in hot water only. When hydrated, gliadin (like gluten) seems to bind to the substrate to which it has been applied and subsequently baked.

Finally, another essential component of the present 25 coating compositions is vegetable lecithin (e.g., soy lecithin, rice lecithin, etc.) which comprises from 0.2 to 5% by weight of the total coating composition, with a preferred range of from about 1.0 to about 3.0% by weight. During the baking process, the lecithin, in 30 combination with the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, the melted powdered shortening and the moisture which is present on the surface of the vegetable, generates foam which engulfs the vegetable pieces and brings about surface-frying of the coating matrix. This 29966 results, over time, in a crisp texture on the surface of the vegetable pieces, while still allowing the optimum natural texture of the vegetable pieces.

Apart from the essential elements comprising the 5 coating compositions of the present invention, there exist a number of preferred optional ingredients as well.

The main optional ingredient is, of course, the use of seasonings. Seasonings obviously will enhance the flavor and consumer appeal of the coating compositions. 10 Generally, the seasoning component may comprise from about 1 to about 10% by weight of the total coating composition, and preferably from about 3.0% to about 7.5%. Depending upon the desires of the consumer, any of a wide variety of seasonings can be employed. Such 15 seasonings include salt, pepper, garlic powder, sugar, onion powder, paprika, parsley and the like.

A further optional ingredient which was mentioned earlier is a type of food acid. Lemon juice solids which are comprised of approximately 55.4% citric acid would be 20 a suitable source of food acid. As was already noted, the acid can function in combination with the protein and a reducing sugar to result in a browning reaction of the coating. The reducing sugar may be contained in corn syrup solids. However any conventionally-known source of 25 reducing sugar, such as fructose and glucose, may be used. Of the various kinds of reducing sugars which are made available, fructose is preferred as it assists in producing a light brown color during the baking process.

The amount of food acid to be employed in the 30 present coating compositions ranges from about 0.2 to about 2.0% by weight of the total composition. Besides citric acid, other types of food acids include fumaric, adipic, tartaric and the like. 29 9 6 6 The amount of reducing sugar to be employed in the present coating compositions may range from about 0.2 to about 3.0% by weight of the total composition.

One very notable feature in the present invention is 5 that the coating compositions do not require a flour component. Flour has been generally used in coating compositions for purposes of giving color, crispiness and bulk to the final product. However, due to the unique combination of ingredients in the compositions of the 10 present invention, a flour component is not needed. Nevertheless, a crisp baked product having the taste, texture and appearance of a fried food is obtained with the coating compositions of the present invention.

The seasoning and coating mix compositions of the 15 present invention can be applied to a wide variety of vegetables, either raw or thawed from a frozen state, including potatoes, carrots, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, squash, mushrooms, peppers, asparagus, brussels sprouts, peas, beans, artichokes, 20 turnips, cucumbers and other like vegetables.

In coating vegetables with the compositions of the present invention, the vegetables should first be prepared for baking. That is, the vegetables are first cut into their desired serving size. The vegetable pieces 25 are then to be dipped or brought into contact with water so as to moisten the surface of the vegetable pieces.

This may be done in any method convenient to the preparer, however, it is suggested that for best results, only a couple of the vegetable pieces are treated at a 30 time. Any excess water should be shaken from the vegetable pieces prior to applying the seasoning and coating compositions of the present invention.

The coating mix composition should then be evenly applied to the moistened vegetable pieces by any means 299 6 6 common in the art. For best results, the moistened vegetables should be placed into a type of shaker bag along with the coating composition and shaken until the vegetable pieces are evenly coated. This method has been 5 found to be easier if the coating composition is divided into two equal halves and one half of the vegetables are coated at a time. If all the vegetables in a normal serving are attempted to be coated at the same time, it may be more difficult to achieve an even coating. It 10 should also be noted that in order to evenly coat the vegetables, any excess coating mix may be manually pressed onto the vegetables, if necessary.

Once the vegetable pieces have been evenly coated with the seasoning and coating mix composition of the 15 present invention, the vegetables should be placed in a single layer on a baking pan. i "iking is then carried out in a conventional baking oven at a temperature ranging from about 350 to about 450°F for a period of from about 15 to about 30 minutes. The time needed for properly 20 baking the coated vegetables will actually be determined by the type of vegetable involved. For example, whereas, at 400°F, it may only take approximately 20 minutes to properly bake coated zucchini and mushrooms, it may take a few additional minutes to properly bake coated potatoes 25 and carrots.

Preferably, the coated vegetables are baked on a surface having a thin coating of lubricant, that is, at least a sufficient amount to cover the surface. Any conventionally-known type of vegetable oil or vegetable 30 oil spray can be used. This is done not only to prevent the vegetable pieces from sticking to the baking surface, but also to enhance the development of the fried characteristics of taste, texture and appearance in the final product. 299 6 6 The resultant baked vegetable is found to have a uniform and a very crisp vegetable surface which is more commonly associated with the use of an egg wash in conjunction with pan frying or deep fat frying. Yet, the 5 baked products coated with the present coating compositions do not have the significant fat content which is attributable to the fried product which has sat soaking in oil. Also, as was noted earlier, the seasoning and coating mix compositions of the present 10 invention result in a cholesterol-free product. The mix may also be completely free of ingredients derived from animal sources, and thus be of special appeal to consumers on a strict vegetarian diet.

The following examples are provided to further 15 illustrate the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 A seasoning and coating mix composition was prepared containing the following ingredients: Ingredients % By Weight Japanese Bread Crumbs 48.25 Partially Hydrogenated Oils 10.00 Modified Cornstarch 10.00 Powdered Vegetable Shortening 9.48 Soy Protein Isolate (90% protein) 8.01 Gum Adhesive Blend (60-70% gum 5.00 arabic) Salt, Mixing, Granulated 2.77 Wheat Gliadin 2.00 Lecithin, Soybean 1.44 Lemon Juice Solids 1.00 Onion Powder 0.80 Paprika, Ground 0.50 Black Pepper 0.30 Parsley Flakes, Dehydrated 0.25 Garlic Powder 0.20 Total: 100.00 Of the above ingredients, the Japanese Bread Crumbs were first coated with the partially hydrogenated mixture 2 9 9 66 1 of soybean and cottonseed oils to form a bread crumb/oil mixture. The remaining ingredients were blended together in a ribbon blender for a period of 10 minutes to form a blended matrix of these components. The bread crumb/oil 5 mixture was then mixed with the blended matrix of the remaining components also in a ribbon blender, this time for a period of 5 minutes. The resultant coating mix was placed in a packet.

A conventional baking oven was pre-heated to a temperature of 400°F. Two tablespoons of vegetable oil were spread onto a 15xl0xl-inch metal baking pan. 1 to 1 1/4 lbs. of a mixture of raw vegetables including assortment of broccoli florets, and caulifloweretts, and 1/3 inch slices of potatoes, zucchini, egg plant, squash, 15 and mushrooms. Half of the coating mix from the packet was placed into a shaker bag. The sliced vegetables were dipped into water, a couple of pieces at a time. After the excess water was shaken off, about half of the vegetable pieces were placed into the shaker bag and 20 shaken until they were evenly coated. The coating mix was pressed onto the vegetables where necessary to ensure an even coat. The coated vegetable pieces were placed on the baking pan in a single layer. This coating procedure was duplicated with the remaining coating mix and 25 moistened vegetables.

The baking pan containing the coated vegetables was then baked in the oven for a period of twenty minutes. The baked vegetable product was allowed to cool for a few minutes before serving.

The resultant product possessed a very crisp texture on its surface and were not at all soggy or oily. The vegetable pieces themselves still possessed much, if not all, of their optimum texture and natural flavor. The coating mix was judged by consumers to be easy to use.

Claims (22)

2996 6 1 -17- The above preferred embodiments and examples are given to illustrate the scope and spirit of the present invention. The embodiments and examples described herein will make apparent to those skilled in the art, other embodiments and examples. These other embodiments and examples are within the contemplation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention should be limited only by the appended claims. 2996 6 1 -18- WHAT^WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A coating mix composition, which, when coated onto moistened vegetables and then baked, imparts the resultant product with a crisp, golden-brown textured surface with the taste, texture and appearance of a fried coated food, said coating mix composition comprising: from 25 to 75% by weight bread crumbs; from 5 to 20% by weight partially hydrogenated vegetable oil; from 2 to 20% by weight of a modified starch; from 2 to 20% by weight powdered shortening; from i to 10% by weight of carbohydrate adhesive; from 2 to 20% by weight protein; from 0.2 to 5% by weight vegetable lecithin; and from 1 to 10% by weight seasonings, wherein the bread crumbs have initially been coated with the partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and subsequently mixed with the remaining components, the weight percentages being based on the total weight of the coating compositions.

2. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said bread crumbs are present in a range from about 40 to about 55% by weight.

3. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said bread crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs.

4. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is present in a range from about 8 to about 14% by weight.

5. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said modified starch is present in a range from about 6 to about 14% by weight.

6. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said modified starch is a high amylose starch. 299 6 6 1 -19-

7. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said powdered shortening is present in a range from about 6 to about 12% by weight.

8. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein 5 said carbohydrate adhesive is present in a range from about 2.5 to about 6% by weight.

9. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said carbohydrate adhesive is a cold-water soluble gum.

10. The coating mix composition of claim 9 wherein 10 said cold-water soluble gum is gum arabic.

11. The coating mix composition of claim l wherein said protein is present in a range from about 6 to about 12% by weight.

12. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein 15 said protein comprises soy and/or whey protein and wheat protein.

13. The coating mix composition of claim 12 wherein said soy and/or whey protein is present in a range from about 6 to about 8% by weight and said wheat protein is 20 present in a range from about 1 to about 3% by weight.

14. The coating mix composition of claim 12 wherein said wheat protein is wheat gliadin.

15. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein said vegetable lecithin is present in a range from about 25 1 to about 3% by weight.

16. The coating mix composition of claim 1 wherein the seasonings are present in a range from about 3 to about 7.5% by weight of the total coating composition.

17. The coating mix composition of claim 16 wherein 30 said seasonings are selected from the group consisting of salt, pepper, garlic powder, sugar, onion powder, paprika, parsley and combination thereof. 2996 6 1

18. The coating mix composition of claim 1 further comprising a food acid in a range from about 0.2 to about 2% by weight of the total coating composition.

19. The coating mix composition of claim 18 wherein said food acid is citric acid.

20. The coating mix composition of claim 1 further comprising a reducing sugar in a range from about 0.2 to about 3% by weight of the total coating composition.

21. A coating mix composition of claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference to the Example.

22. A coating mix composition of any one of claims 1-20, substantially as herein described. Kraft Foods, Inc. By Its Attorneys BALDWIN SON and CAREY END OF CLAIMS