Batter coated food pieces

Abstract

A batter slurry, for coating food pieces so as to enhance crispness hold time for extended periods in take-out food conditions, comprising, as a percentage of a dry batter used to make the slurry, 97.4 to 99.8% by weight of a batter base selected from a modified food starch batter base and a flour batter base. The batter base comprises a modified food starch of from 10 to 60% by weight of the batter. The modified food starch is acetylated, cross-linked or acetylated and cross-linked. The dry batter further comprises from 0.0 to 1.0% by weight of calcium lactate and from 0.1 to 1.6% by weight of de-oiled lecithin. Coated food pieces are par-fried and preferably frozen. The frozen pieces, once reconstituted, retain their crispness under adverse, e.g. high humidity, conditions such as those encountered under take-out conditions where such pieces are typically placed into a closed container for home delivery or take out.

1 . A par-fried food piece coated in a batter slurry, said batter slurry comprising a mixture of dry batter in water, said dry batter comprising, as a percentage by weight of said dry batter:  
     97.4 to 99.8% by weight of a batter base selected from a modified food starch batter base and a flour batter base, wherein said batter base comprises a modified food starch of from 10 to 60% by weight of the dry batter, and wherein said modified food starch is acetylated or cross-linked, or acetylated and cross-linked;  
     0.0 to 1.0% by weight of calcium lactate; and  
     0.1 to 1.6% by weight of de-oiled lecithin.  
   
   
       2 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the calcium lactate is in the range of from 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of the dry batter.  
   
   
       3 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein said batter slurry has a solids content of 20-60% by weight and a viscosity in the range of about 200-2000 centipoise when measured on a Brookfield DVII Viscometer at 20 rpm.  
   
   
       4 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 3 , wherein the batter slurry has a solids content of about 30-50% by weight and a viscosity in the range of about 300-1800 centipoise.  
   
   
       5 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is selected from the group consisting of meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and dairy products.  
   
   
       6 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is potato.  
   
   
       7 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is chicken.  
   
   
       8 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is fish.  
   
   
       9 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is onion.  
   
   
       10 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is zucchini.  
   
   
       11 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is sweet potato.  
   
   
       12 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is mushroom.  
   
   
       13 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is a French fry.  
   
   
       14 . The par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is cheese.  
   
   
       15 . A frozen par-fried potato piece coated in a batter slurry, said batter slurry comprising a mixture of dry batter in water, said dry batter comprising, as a percentage by weight of said dry batter:  
     97.4 to 99.8% by weight of a batter base selected from a modified food starch batter base and a flour batter base, wherein said batter base comprises a modified food starch of from 10 to 60% by weight of the dry batter, and wherein said modified food starch is acetylated or cross-linked, or acetylated and cross-linked;  
     0.0 to 1.0% by weight of calcium lactate; and  
     0.1 to 1.6% by weight of de-oiled lecithin.  
   
   
       16 . The frozen par-fried potato piece of  claim 5 , wherein the calcium lactate is in the range of from 0.2 to 1.0% by weight of the dry batter.  
   
   
       17 . The frozen par-fried potato piece of  claim 5 , wherein said batter slurry has a solids content of 20-60% by weight and a viscosity in the range of about 200-2000 centipoise when measured on a Brookfield DVII Viscometer at 20 rpm.  
   
   
       18 . The frozen par-fried potato piece, as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the batter slurry has a solids content of about 30-50% by weight and a viscosity in the range of about 300-1800 centipoise.  
   
   
       19 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is potato.  
   
   
       20 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is chicken.  
   
   
       21 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is fish.  
   
   
       22 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is onion.  
   
   
       23 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is zucchini.  
   
   
       24 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is sweet potato.  
   
   
       25 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is mushroom.  
   
   
       26 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is a French fry.  
   
   
       27 . The frozen par-fried food piece of  claim 1 , wherein the food piece is cheese.