The Effect of the Addition of Oat Flour in Low-Fat Chicken Nuggets

The objective of this study was to develop low-fat chicken nuggets with the inclusion of Oat Flour (OF) and assess the cooking yield, textural properties, sensory properties and proximate composition. Chicken nuggets were prepared with the addition of 0%, 10% and 20% of OF over and above the quantity of meat. The cooking yield was significantly higher in the nuggets containing OF. The increased OF level significantly increased the hardness and adhesiveness; however, the cohesiveness, springiness and resilience significantly decreased with no significant difference between the treatments. No significant difference in the gumminess and chewiness values was noted. The juiciness score increased, whereas the texture and flavor scores and overall acceptability decreased with the increased levels OF inclusion. The increased OF levels resulted in a significant increase in moisture, crude fiber and gross energy and a decrease in the percentage of crude protein and fat. Hence, acceptable dietary fiber-enriched low-fat chicken nuggets can be made with the addition of up to 10% OF over and above the amount of chicken meat.