Microwave-Impingement Food Processing for Low-Fat Fried Appearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fried foods pose health concerns due to their high fat content and cooking methods, while methods to replicate their appearance without frying are lacking in effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a food product with an edible core and a farinaceous cover layer, heated with microwave energy and then coated, followed by impingement oven processing to achieve a fried appearance with reduced fat content and processing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional frying is used to cook food, then the food achieves a fried appearance with desirable flavors and textures, but the fat content increases and health concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking process is segmented into three distinct stages: microwave pre-cooking to partially cook the food interior, coating application to deposit lipid mixture, and impingement broiling to create fried appearance. This segmentation allows each stage to perform its specific function optimally while minimizing overall fat absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
A coating mixture serving as an intermediary substance is applied to the food surface. This coating contains lipids (0.5-5% by weight of food product) dispersed in a carrier medium, which provides the fried appearance and flavor without requiring submersion in large quantities of oil.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional frying is used to cook food, then the food achieves desirable flavors and textures, but the cooking time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The food is pre-cooked in a microwave oven before the impingement broiling step. This preliminary cooking action partially cooks the interior of the food product, reducing the time required for the final high-temperature broiling step while still achieving the desired fried appearance and texture.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooking process utilizes different temperature and time parameters for each stage: microwave heating at lower temperatures for extended pre-cooking, followed by high-temperature impingement broiling (400-600°F) for short duration (1-10 minutes) to achieve fried appearance without excessive cooking time.
3Productivity
If microwave heating is used to pre-cook the food, then the cooking time is reduced, but the food does not achieve a fried appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The method merges microwave heating technology with traditional impingement broiling in a sequential process. The microwave provides rapid pre-cooking, then the impingement broiler with high-velocity hot air and radiant heat provides the fried appearance. The combination of these two different heating methods achieves both speed and appearance goals.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating mixture is applied locally to the surface of the food product after microwave pre-cooking. This localized application of lipid-containing coating to the exterior surface enables the food to develop fried appearance characteristics during the subsequent impingement broiling step, while the interior remains lightly cooked.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces a cooked food product with a fried appearance and significantly lower fat content, reducing cooking time by approximately 30% compared to conventional frying, while maintaining the flavors and textures associated with fried foods.
Implementation Method 1
The food product is heated with microwave energy at a frequency of approximately 800 to 3000 MHz
Implementation Method 2
The food product is coated with a coating layer to form a coated food product
Implementation Method 3
The coated food product is heated in an impingement oven at a temperature of approximately 400 to 600° F. (200 to 325° C.)
Data Source
AI summary
A method of making a cooked food product having a fried appearance comprises assembling a food product having a weight of approximately 1 to 4 ounces (28.3 to 113.4 grams). The food product is heated with microwave energy at a frequency of approximately 800 to 3000 MHz, at a power of approximately 0 to 50 Watts per ounce (28.3 grams) of product, and for approximately 0 to 80 seconds. The food product is coated with a coating layer to form a coated food product. The coated food product is heated in an impingement oven at a temperature of approximately 400 to 600° F. (200 to 325° C.) for less than approximately 140 seconds to form the cooked food product with a fried appearance.