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ConsumerWatch Tests Low Oil-Absorbing Batter

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Nov 16, 2009 6:30 pm US/Pacific

ConsumerWatch Tests Low Oil-Absorbing Batter

Government Invention Claims To Cut Fried Food Oil In Half

 Web Extra: Sue Kwon's Choice Batter Recipe for Fried Kimchee

Reporting
Sue Kwon
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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ― It's hard to deny - food tastes good when it's fried. But bubbling oil drenches otherwise healthy choices in calories and fat. Chef and caterer Dontaye Ball invented a spiced-up batter that his customers who love fried food can't get enough of.  But now he faces a culinary quandary. Could a boxed batter that claims to absorb up to 50% less oil be better than his own?  He put Choice Batter to the test.

Choice Batter was created by a team of scientists from the USDA and  Maryland-based Crisptek. It's rice-based and gluten-free, which means people with allergies to wheat flour can eat it. "Over 3 million people in the U.S. suffer from celiac disease," said Wayne Swann, the spokesperson for Choice Batter.  It's a lifelong digestive disorder that can damage the small intestine if a person consumes gluten which is found in wheat flour.

Choice Batter could also benefit millions of Americans struggling with obesity.

The USDA wants to commercialize the invention so fast food restaurants, frozen food producers, and home cooks can enjoy fried food with less of the artery clogging oil and calories.

Swann described how the batter creates a coating that repels oil.  "Rice swells and absorbs water. Water and oil don't mix.  The scientists of the USDA did extensive testing on this and a lot of scientific papers to show that when you compare this particular frying batter against a typical wheat-based batter it just absorbs a lot less oil - up to 50 percent less oil." 
 
Chef Ball cooked up a version of chicken and vegetables in his own batter next to a sample in Choice Batter.  He found the batter is simple because all you add is water.  So for home cooks, it's a good alternative when cooking fried foods. That said, he prefers mixing his own batter and adding spices to enhance the different meat, veggies, or fruit he happens to be frying. "I thought it was okay," said Ball. " I think it's something that I would feed my children. It's definitely crispy."

 

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