Batter systems have to turn into a crisp crust after frying and they have to adhere to food substrate
surfaces which are sometimes very smooth. As a result, treating the substrate with a predust is highly
recommended. Predust agents act by absorbing the moisture on the substrate surface, creating a rough
outer surface on the substrate and ensuring optimal binding between substrate and batter. Normally, the
same wheat flour used in the formulation of the batter is used for dusting. In this study, three different
hydrocolloids were used as predusting materials for battered fish nuggets and their performances in
three different cooking procedures were evaluated. Oxidised starch, xanthan gum and HPMC were
compared with wheat flour (control), using deep frying, conventional oven and microwave oven. Image
analysis, an innovative method in this area, was used to quantify adhesion. The performance of the
hydrocolloids used as predusting agents depended on the cooking procedure.