Effect of guar gum and gum arabic addition on functional properties on the quality characteristics of chicken nuggets

Gums are often used in food to enhance the texture, water binding and cooking yield of the processed products as well as to reduce the fat level. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of incorporation of two types of gum i.e gum arabic and guar gum in three concentration (0.5%.1.0%, 1.5%) on functional properties on the quality characteristics of chicken nuggets. The Cooking yields were higher for the samples containing gums as compared to control. Gum Arabic at the level of 1.5% addition was having significantly highest yield (P<0.5) than rest of the samples. Yield and emultion stability increased as level of addition of gums increased and maximum increase was noticed at 1.5% level of addition of gum. Emulsion stability was higher in samples containing gum arabic than that of guar gum at the same level of addition. Irrespective of levels of addition of both type of the gums hardness decreased significantly (P<0.5). Hardness decrease was higher in samples having Guar gum as compared to samples of gum Arabic. Such effects were due to retention of added water after incorporation of gums in formulation of nugget preparation. No significance difference occurred in texture properties like springiness after addition of gums. Cohesiveness decreased after addition of gums irrespective of types and levels of addition expect at the level of 1.5% level of guar gum. There was difference in lighness of samples having Guar gum at highest level of addition where as gum Arabic at 1.5% level of addition had significantly (P<0.5) higher red color than rest of the samples. In processed product total bacterial load, coli and yeast count were recorded up to 60 days of storage. It was observed that the total count was well within 2.08 cfu and 2.63 cfu, respectively for T1 and T6 after the 60 days of storage. All addition level of arabic and guar gum, coli and yeast were not present in the nuggets (P<0.5) containing gum in their recipe. The study indicated that incorporation of natural gums is possible to reduce the addition of fat level without compromising the optimum texture and sensory attributes of the processed chicken nuggets.