Deep-Fat Frying of Chicken Nuggets: Impacts on Mass Transfer and Some Quality Indices

This study examines the impact of deep-fat frying on chicken nuggets' quality and mass transfer characteristics at three temperatures (160°C, 170°C, and 180°C) over 180 s. Moisture diffusion coefficients, calculated as 2.74 × 10^-8, 8.22 × 10^-8, and 13.69 × 10^-8 m²/s, respectively, indicate increasing diffusion with temperature. The activation energy (E _a ) for moisture loss was found to be 128.81 kJ/mol. Initial moisture content was 0.0180 ± 0.003 kg water/kg dry matter, reducing by 28.33%, 31.11%, and 35% for each respective temperature, ending at 0.0129 ± 0.001, 0.0124 ± 0.002, and 0.0117 ± 0.002 kg water/kg dry matter. Oil uptake transfer coefficients were 0.0082, 0.0091, and 0.0094 s^-1, with corresponding oil content values of 0.032 ± 0.003, 0.029 ± 0.003, and 0.026 ± 0.002 g oil/100 g dry matter. Equilibrium oil content decreased, while the E _a for oil uptake was -35.63 kJ/mol. Textural properties showed increases in hardness (129.88 ± 0.84 to 131.34 ± 0.56 mJ), springiness (4.28 ± 0.12 to 4.37 ± 0.12 mm), and chewiness (84.54 ± 0.56 to 85.65 ± 0.65 mJ) with temperature, while cohesiveness remained stable. Color measurements showed a brightness (L*) value decrease of up to 15.73% at 180°C and a total color change (ΔE) increase from 4.78 ± 0.55 at 160°C to 9.31 ± 0.76 at 180°C. This data provides a foundation for optimizing frying parameters to improve product quality and consistency in the food industry. Future research may explore the use of novel coating formulations or alternative frying media to minimize oil absorption while preserving desirable texture and flavor attributes.