Date: 31/07/2025

When striving for a crispy crust and a juicy interior, choosing the right breading method is crucial. This culinary technique involves coating food with a layer of dry ingredients before cooking, retaining moisture and flavor.

The choice of breading type influences the texture, flavor, and nutritional composition of the dish. Different preparation methods result in distinct characteristics in the final product.

Topics:

What is breading?

Breading involves a series of steps in which food is coated with an external coating to improve texture, flavor, and appearance.

This technique has widespread application in the food industry, as it can be used to prepare a variety of foods, including chicken, fish, pork, cassava etc.

What are the steps of the breading process?

This process can be divided into three stages:

● Pre-dust: also known as pre-breading, this technique prepares the surface of the food to receive the coating layers. At this point, the product is added to a dry mixture (such as flour and starch) to dry it, facilitating adhesion to the batter;
● Batter: also called binding flour, it coats the food after pre-dusting. This flour can be composed of dry ingredients, such as wheat flour and other elements, diluted in water. This step creates a moist base that makes the next step possible;
● Final breading: at this point, the product is covered with a dry layer, such as flakes or other flour combinations. This finishing touch gives the food its characteristic crunchiness.

What are the different preparation techniques for breaded products?

There are three preparation techniques:

● Pre-fried: industrial breading that involves partially cooking the products while immersed in hot oil. This technique aims to preserve the shape, adhesion, crust, and texture. All of that help to ensure adhesion to the flour and provides the traditional breaded texture;
● Fried: the food is coated with a crispy coating (which can be flour or eggs) and then cooked in hot oil;
● Baked: an oven or air fryer is used instead of frying the food in oil. This makes the recipe healthier, as it reduces fat and calories. This step usually occurs during the consumer's preparation.

Expanded Breadcrumb is recommended for frying and baking. It is produced through an extrusion process and consists of rounded, porous granules, providing crispiness and a slightly browned appearance. Because of these characteristics, expanded flour can be used for frying and baking.

Cracker Breadcrumb, on the other hand, has flat, dense granules designed to make products crispier. Furthermore, it is less porous, contributing to reduced fat absorption. Like the previous type, this type of flour is recommended for baking and frying.

Regarding this topic, it is important to note that both Breadcrumbs can be used during pre-baking or as a filling in processed products.

How can BRF Ingredients help in this context?

BRF Ingredients has 29 production units in 8 Brazilian states and is a business division of BRF, one of the largest food producers in the world, supplying high-performance ingredients to BRF itself and to the industry.

The breading flour portfolio is produced through the extrusion process of natural raw materials, such as wheat and corn. Available in different colors and grain sizes, they provide crispness and texture to the final product.

With traceability at each stage of production, BRF Ingredients is committed to quality in the delivery of ingredients and the necessary technical support according to application needs.

Understanding the specificities contributes to the development of winning formulations, considering texture, flavor, and composition. Therefore, choosing the right breading is a fundamental step in the preparation process.