A small addition of VIDOFIBRES BF 5 sugar beet fibre to a coatings mixture significantly reduces the oil uptake in deep-fried chicken. In addition, it also reduces the water loss from the meat, resulting in an improved texture.
This rather impressive result is from a study made by the Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology at the University of Zagreb.
Just a relatively small addition of sugar beet fibre like, e.g. VIDOFIBRES BF 5 E reduces the oil uptake by almost 50% in coated/crumbed deep-fried chicken breast pieces, meaning a good potential for using less oil and reducing calories creating value for the consumer and producer.
The lower oil uptake, according to the authors, can be explained as an effect of the physical characteristics of the swelling fibre during frying, thus creating a barrier effect preventing the oil from reaching the meat.
In the same way, sugar beet fibre (e.g. VIDOFIBRES BF 5 E) also seems to have the ability to retain the natural moisture inside the meat by preventing it from evaporating through the coating, seen from the hardness tests in the study where it contributed to the improved softness of the meat.