ces Chapter 10 ' _AI1Tic. Res. 40(5):20-22. - =-=­ "!"oods 172(4):36-39. : _. _r. "il.org) Breadings-WhatThey Are and How They Are Used Richard Y_ Chen JSDA,ARS,NPA, CGAHR ~I/anhattan, Kansas, U.S.A. Yujie Wang -(erry Ingredients and Flavours 3eloit, Wisconsin, U.S.A. David Dyson (deceased) =!ichmond Hill :Jntario, Canada Breadings (or breaders) refers generally to a group of cereal-flour-based _lends or thermally processed wheat-flour dough-based dry bread crumbs. 3readings typically contain seasonings and chemical leavening agents and are ipplied as coatings to fried or baked foods to achieve certain textures, colors, ",nd flavors. Suderman and Cunningham (1983) defined a breading as 1) a :l our-based bread-crumb or cracker meal that is applied to a food in a dry form primarily to create a desired coating texture (the coating can be fine to coarse ~ particle size) or 2) a dry food coating made from flour, starch, seasoillngs, etc., :'1at is fine in nature and is applied over moistened or battered food products. 3readings typically fall into one of the following categories, based on their ,- rocessing, applications, functions, and end-product-attribute requirements: flour :2readings, cracker meals or cracker crumbs (traditional breadings), American 2fead crumbs (ABC, home-style bread crumbs), Japanese bread crumbs (JBC or J­ :rumb, Oriental-style bread crumbs, or panko), and extruded crumbs. Breading formulations, ingredients, and processing technologies have de­ "eloped over time, and several different terminologies for breadings have :ome into use. However, there is a lack of standard concepts, definitions, and :lassifications of breadings among the breading industry and the processors :-or seafood, poultry, and snack foods. The situation could result in misunder­ ,[anding, miscommunication, and improper applications between the suppliers .::.nd their customers. The batter and breading industry and end-users have created a set of terms : at relate to a particular manufacturing process and finished product. His­ :orically, breadings for fried chicken have been nothing more than seasoned, Jnprocessed wheat flours. These same preparations, when mixed with water, :ecome simple batters, defined as suspensions of cereal solids (with or without easonings) in water. In this example, a mix marketed as a batter, but used dry, n be termed a breading, a breader, a coater, or a duster. 169 170/ Batters and Breadings, 2nd ed. Duster, or predust, refers to a fine, dry material that is dusted onto a food RANULATION item or a substrate before the application of other coating materials. Predusts Granulation is one of . -= may contain unprocessed flours or blends of starch, egg whites, and other ~luence breading beh minor ingredients such as salt and spices. These types of materials may be -g industry, breads are ~ used in a dry form as predusts or in water suspensions as batters. ~ d fine. Typical ranges, . In this chapter, breading is used only for a dry application for coated food. -:- :,ble 10.1. Exact sizes d_~ A mix that is marketed as a batter but used as a breading can cause unneces­ . ~ :a l classifications are ~=! sary misunderstandings and confusions. -' esh; and coarse, 4-8 ffi::'-"~ Breading is an appealing coating component for a variety of purposes. It General size classific''-:' mainly improves end-product qualities, such as flavor, texture, and appear­ ..:.e granulation ranges C~­ ance. This can add more value to substrates such as meat, fish, poultry prod­ "Jch as extra coarse, co;:-:: ucts, and vegetables, to increase profits. w divisions are based (';;; _ The use of breadings for food coating is hundreds of years old. Although ;:; eeds for attributes su c-:-. :... breadings have been used by numerous sectors of the food-preparation indus­ -o rne manufacturers us.: . try for as long as foods have been fried, their use to commercially manufacture s;eves to determine coar:;" prefried convenience foods began only in the middle 1950s. The still bur­ d e breadings as 25 o/c 0 :-, _ geoning convenience-food and franchise-supply industries had their origins at -J -mesh sieve, and le ss. :::. that time, primarily in the frozen-fish area with the introduction of the fish ' :tis is that each range of ;;: stick or fish finger. It can be fairly claimed that the fish stick was one of the ~ n of a functional, aUra :' earliest frozen convenience foods. Coarse granules, whi> . This chapter attempts to refine the multiple definitions and concepts to .runchy texture, have SIL _ allow a more concise discussion of breading characteristics, functional attrib­ -ave a slow rate of wat,,:: utes, effects of ingredients on the functional properties, breading applications, : TIed with fine particles. : finished-product characteristics, and methods of manufacture. For reference, ter than dense breac,{:1,5.. breadings are defined here as thermally processed bread crumbs or dry flour -rzes using cubing, band. blends used for food coating. They can be made from a blend of bread crumbs (such . J provide sufficient tim :: . as cracker meals, American bread crumbs, Japanese bread crumbs, and extruded ':'ielectric or infrared me J..;; , crumbs) or from wheat flour, in combination with other ingredients, such as com : ~ much longer if the ore':' flour, starches, gums, coloring agents, leavening agents, and seasonings. ~-i)f e , production line sree Three themes form the basis of this chapter. The first is the functional at­ :~mb size and crumb <f' tributes of breadings-the relationships among physical characteristics of a ~~D e is a primary cost co- . breading to create breaded or "coated" foods and how these factors can be .5 a major factor that affe..::.. optimized to provide products that meet definable market criteria. The second A typical coating s~ s:e:­ is an overview of breading classes and their means of manufacture. The final . reader). Predust is o~~· theme is breading applications and finished-product characteristics. ~ :::\ture, and pickup. T h ~ _ :: =nt places a constraim -, ~" Functional Attributes of Breadings Medium-sized bread C-:-. :iDes because of a highe;- '­ Functional attributes are built into a breading such that it interacts with the , dependent, in any in d~ ' coating application or fry-line conditions and with the food substrate to pro­ ,icy. Medium-sized crur:::: vide the parameters within which appropriately defined products can be manu­ '''' e continuity of cover a~ .:: factured. The parameters, which include visual, textural, and sensorial characteristics, are critical to a variety of coated foods. Breading attributes are partially, and in some cases totally, dependent upon each other for effective coating quality. However, for purposes of clarity and ease of understanding, each is described separately below, with the dependen­ cies made apparent in each section. The attributes are discussed first as being -'raDulation Measurement process-related rather than product-related, because coating processes influ­ '_', S. sieve, mesh ence the coated-product quality. Jiameter, ).!m Breadings / 171 - _:erial that is dusted onto a food GRANULATION , .:'-.er coating materials. Predusts Granulation is one of the fundamental physical attributes of breadings that : itarch, egg whites, and other :nfluence breading behavior during storage and food processing. In the bread­ -= - <:e types of materials may be "ng industry, breads are granulated into three broad ranges: coarse, medium, :--:- n_ions as batters. l nd fine. Typical ranges in terms of mesh and granulation size are presented in -_ ~ry application for coated food . Table 10.1. Exact sizes depend on manufacturers and their customers, but gen­ 3 breading can cause unneces­ ~ r al classifications are fine, finer than 16 mesh (U.S. sieve); medium, 8-16 ;::tesh; and coarse, 4-8 mesh. ::-:-.: for a variety of purposes. It General size classification is a convenient way to represent breadings, but - fl avor, texture, and appear­ :he granulation ranges can also be subdivided into more-detailed categories, . ~ :"h as meat, fish, poultry prod­ .,uch as extra coarse, coarse, and medium coarse in the coarse category. These <ubdivisions are based on customers' breading requirements and end-product - ':_.dreds of years old. Although Jeeds for attributes such as appearance, texture, pickup level, and coverage. ~ 7" of the food-preparation indus­ Some manufacturers use the percentage distribution of breading on given - _' e to commercially manufacture ,ieves to determine coarse, medium, and fine (for instance, defining medium­ _: t middle 1950s. The still bur­ iize breadings as 25% on a 20-mesh sieve, 45% on a 40-mesh sieve, 20% on a . _. industries had their origins at 60-mesh sieve, and less than 10% through a 60-mesh sieve). The reason for . :-.b the introduction of the fisb : is is that each range of granulation has a particular role to play in the forma­ . - l: the fish stick was one of the :ion of a functional, attractive, and economical coating system . Coarse granules, while they provide distinct highlights, visual interest, and :-::: definitions and concepts to :runchy texture, have small surface areas for any given weight and, as a result, ~ ~ '-Jar acteristics, functional attrib­ J ave a slow rate of water absorption. They absorb moisture very slowly com­ :: -. perties, breading applications. ?ared with fine particles, but breadings with an open structure absorb moisture _ . f manufacture. For reference. :' ster than dense breadings. After tempered loaves are cut into convenient ~ :~ bread crumbs or dry flour ' izes using cubing, band, or reciprocating slicers, slow line speeds are required =:- .:n a blend of bread crumbs (such . provide sufficient time for drying the crumbs in conventional ovens or by __~..cse bread crumbs, and extruded jielectric or infrared means to a final moisture of 3-6%. The drying time may ....:. other ingredients, such as com ':Ie much longer if the breads are to be processed to a compact density. There­ ~ :: o ts . and seasonings. :o re, production line speeds and drying times are determined on the basis of - ~ - .