In this study, thermostable microcapsules prepared with a hybrid of chitosan and silica (MCCS) as the
shell material and soybean oil with a low specific heat capacity as the nucleus were applied to maintaining
the crispness of microwave-reheated battered and breaded fish nuggets. The MCCS added batter
at 1 g/100 mL concentration exhibited desirable rheological properties and a 40% pick-up rate, as well as
a high cutting force, low deformation and desirable number of peaks in the cutting force profile of the
fish nuggets reheated in a microwave oven. After microwave reheating, the moisture content of the crust
was lower, and moisture content of the fish meat was higher, in the MCCS-containing nuggets than in the
MCCS-free nuggets. This phenomenon suggested that the MCCS facilitated the formation of a water barrier
by high temperature and high pressure during microwave reheating, which prevented moisture molecules
from migrating from the fish meat to the crust.