experimentally determined fat/moisture contents. These results
also showed the advantage of using ME images.
The minimum echo time used in the imaging sequence was
6.8 ms. A component having a T2 value less than the echo time will
not be detected in the relaxation spectrum. In a 1D CPMG experiment
with shorter echo times (wms) it is possible to detect components
with smaller values of T2.
Experimental moisture analysis results showed that temperature
did not have significant effect on both moisture and fat contents
of the crust layer (p > 0.05), whereas coating type and frying
time had a significant effect (p < 0.05). Moisture content of
methylcellulose coatings was higher in moisture and lower in fat
content (p < 0.05). For core of the chicken nugget temperature,
frying time and coating type had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on
moisture content whereas temperature did not have significant
effect on fat content of the nugget. Methylcellulose coated chicken’s
core region was found to be higher in moisture and lower in fat
content. For both crust and core regions as frying time increased,
moisture content decreased and fat content increased.
However the relaxation spectrum although correlated with fat
and moisture values was not able to differentiate the effect of frying