Albumen rings (dia 3.1$ cm, wall thickness 0.5 cm, height 0.7 cm) were prepared by blending chicken egg albumen with 5% rice flour (RF) and 0.5% salt on low speed in a blender for 15 sec, placing about 8 ml of blended mixture in ring mold and steam cooking at ambient pressure for 5–6 min. Rings were then cooled for 10 min, coated with RF batter (40% in water, w/v) alone or with RF-based batters containing 10, 15 or 20% black gram flour (BGF) or gram flour (GF), rolled into bread crumbs and deep fried at 205°C oil temperature for 15–20 sec. All treatments were analysed for adhesion characteristics. composition, microbiological and sensory properties. Addition of 15% BGF in RF batters significantly (P<O.05) improved the coating pick up as compared to those coated with RF batter alone, though it was not different from 20% BGF or 10, 15 or 20% GF batter groups. Percent cooked yield was significantly higher in all coated groups than control, but no difference existed among coated groups. Rings coated with RF-based batters having either BGF or GF had higher moisture and lower ether extractives than uncoated control and RF-alone batter group. Aerobic counts ranged from log 1.26 to 1.74/g with no difference between treatments, while coliforms, staphylococci, yeast and moulds and anaerobes were completely absent. Rings coated with 15 or 20% BGF or GF-added batters received higher coating adhesion scores over others and were liked most.
Albumen rings, coatings, acceptability, microbial counts
