Competition has generated a need for cost-effective ingredients that can mimic the texture of meat or replace expensive binders such as soy protein isolate, modified food starches and mustard flour typically used in meat products.
Until recently, rice bran, a by-product of rice milling, did not contribute much value to meat processing. It was considered unsuitable for prolonged storage and consumption. With the availability of new stabilizing technology to inactivate the lipase (an enzyme necessary for the absorption and digestion of nutrients in the intestines), it is no longer viewed as a waste material. Stabilized rice bran is thus created to provide an allergen-free, functional ingredient that could replace at least some of the traditional ingredients commonly used as binders in meat.
Stabilized rice bran is rich in fiber, and it is a rich source of B complex vitamins, minerals, phytosterols and antioxidants. In June 2008, the US Department of Agriculture approved stabilized rice bran as a binder in various comminuted meat and poultry products that permit the use of similar ingredients. Products include sausages, nuggetshaped chicken patties, meatballs, meat patties and meatloaf.
Typically, an ingredient has physicochemical characteristics that could affect its behavior during preparation, processing, storage and consumption of a meat product. These properties infl uence the processing procedures and the quality of the end product. When added to a comminuted meat system,stabilized rice bran could bind the system up to three times its weight in water. The ingredient has a meat-like texture when cooked. There is also a significant reduction in moisture loss normal thermal processing conditions.
Stabilized rice bran can reduce product wastage or purge over 12 weeks of refrigerated storage. It has the ability to improve texture without changing a product’s organoleptic characteristics.
Stabilized rice bran generally does not need to be pre-hydrated. However, in emulsified products, it should be added to the bowl chopper at the beginning of the chopping process with the lean meat and ice (or water) to enhance its water-binding properties. The effect of adding 1, 2 or 3% stabilized rice bran on yield, purge and texture in a regular-fat hot dog formulation containing mechanically deboned chicken was studied (Table 1). The cook yield for the test treatments increased as more stabilized rice bran is added in the formulation (Figure 1). The replacement of pork 50s and beef 50s.in the formulation with stabilized rice bran at 1, 2 and 3% levels resulted to cost savings of 0.98, 1.66 or 5.27% respectively. Stabilized rice bran was also able to stabilize shrinkage and improve the texture of the hot dog (Figure 2). It was also effective in significantly reducing purge over six weeks of refrigerated storage (Figure 3).
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Stabilized rice bran in batter and breading application
Food coatings such as batter and breading face a formidable challenge. They must taste good, improve the texture of fried foods, prevent oxidation, limit moisture and oil transfer, and improve porosity, color, taste and nutrition. Most batters combine dry mix and water. The dry mix generally contains 80 to 90% flour, which is mostly a combination of wheat flour or corn flour and starch. Ingredients such as oils, salts, seasonings, gums and colors are added into the mix to improve product quality. The ingredients of the batter and even the constituents of the flour affect the characteristics of the batter. There are studies that show the effects of rice flour on oil absorption. Due to its film-forming ability, rice flour could reduce oil absorption without significantly increasing the viscosity of the batter.
On the other hand, wheat flour might have a higher affinity for oil than rice flour. This is due to the presence of hydrophobic wheat gluten. Stabilized rice bran can be used to partially substituted wheat flour in the batter mix to reduce oil pick-up without significantly increasing the viscosity of the batter mix.
In a corn dog study conducted by PHD Technologies at Iowa State University in May 2008, 3 and 6% of the batter mix was replaced with stabilized rice bran (Table 2). The viscosity of the batter mix in each case was measured and compared to the control mix. Additional water was used in the test batter mix to keep the viscosity similar to the control mix. The fat and moisture content of the corn dog before and after frying was tested using Association of Official Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) methods (Figure 4). The difference in moisture loss and fat pick-up was calculated (Figure 5). Moisture loss was significantly reduced when stabilized rice bran was used at 3 and 6% in the batter mix. Fat content of the finished corn dog as a result of reduced oil pick-up was decreased by 15 and 23.5% respectively when compared to the control mix. Furthermore,finished corn dog calories were reduced by 12 and 19% respectively (Table 3).
