The reduction of fat absorption during deep-fat frying of battered and breaded fish balls (BBFBs) was
investigated using bamboo shoot dietary fiber (BSDF). BBFBs were prepared with 0e10% BSDF treatments,
fried at 170 C (50 s) followed by 190 C (10 s), then evaluated for fat absorption, textural
characteristics, and other quality parameters. The addition of 6% BSDF in the batter improved sensory
quality of fried BBFBs (higher brightness and a golden-yellow crust); fat content of the crust and the core
of fried BBFBs decreased from 25.5% and 2.4% to 17.7% and 1.3%, respectively. Hardness and chewiness of
the crust and the core of fried BBFBs were also improved after adding BSDF to the batter. Microscopic
analysis revealed more a compact crust structure and smaller pores inside the core that were more
uniformly distributed when compared to fried BBFBs without BSDF. Moreover, of all the treatments, the
addition of 6% BSDF produced the lowest oil penetration into fried BBFBs. These findings proved that
BSDF added to the batter can significantly reduce fat absorption allowing low-fat fried BBFBs production.