Schnitzel perfection: Loryma’s wheat-based brine inject replaces additives on label

05 Oct 2020 --- Loryma, a wheat ingredients specialist, has launched a new solution for stable coated applications that results in a “crisp coating and juicy core.” Designed for use with breadings and coatings, Lory Inject Lake is a natural combination of wheat ingredients that can replace common additives.

“Unlike conventional products, which often contain declarable components, such as phosphates and hydrocolloids, the brine enables the creation of clean label convenience products,” Norbert Klein, head of product development at Loryma, tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Boosting stability
The Lory Inject combines functional mixtures based on wheat proteins, high moisture-binding small grain starches, and special flours to address the drying out of meat in breaded products during industrial processing. 

The Lory Inject Lake can replace additives on the label with “wheat protein, wheat starch, wheat flour and salt.”The brine inject ensures process stability during production, packaging and preparation of breaded meat products and provides a new tool to shorten the ingredients list. 

Unstable meat quality and varying temperature cycles during industrial processing can be detrimental to both structure and mouthfeel, resulting in a tough, dry end product, the company says. Pre-treatment of the meat with liquid injection brine counteracts this. 

“If only Lory Inject is used, the following ingredients will appear on the label according to their ranking: Wheat protein, wheat starch, wheat flour and salt,” explains Klein. 

During processing, the raw pieces of meat first get injected with a Lory Inject solution and the compound is then fixed under vacuum using a tumbler. The brine does not sediment and is completely absorbed by the raw muscle tissue.

The mixture can be supplemented with water and seasoning, preventing the loss of liquid when heated. 

The liquid brine can also be combined with other functional products from the Loryma modular system, such as wet batter and dry dusting.

The clean label challenge
The first hurdle in developing Lory Inject was making sure that existing technology could be used during processing, outlines Klein. 

“We had to enable the production of perfectly breaded, visually flawless and sensorily appealing breaded schnitzel or nuggets, while dispensing without the usual auxiliary agents and additives in order to allow for a clean label.”  

The Inject system is primarily designed for use in animal muscle tissue, for example, poultry or pork. The Inject system is primarily designed for use in breaded products made from animal muscle tissue, such as schnitzel.

The greatest synergistic advantage in terms of declaration is in the breaded products sector, although applications in other product groups are also technically possible.

Also, if products from Loryma’s panades range are used, Klein notes, the overall list of ingredients can be kept short, as some of the same raw materials are used. 

“The various batters often also contain wheat flour, wheat starch and salt, while the breadcrumbs contain wheat flour, wheat protein and salt,” he says. 

All Loryma panades are based on specially developed wheat starches that ensure stable, firm and bubble-free adhesion to the breading product. 

During deep-frying, deep-freezing and re-defrosting, they form a mechanically resilient but gas-permeable bond that prevents the formation of vapor bubbles. 

They also ensure a more secure binding between the product to be breaded and various coating options, be they breadcrumbs, dough or cornflakes.

What’s next for Loryma
Klein explains that Loyrma strives to use expertise with wheat as a raw material to develop forward-looking solutions for the food industry.

“The Loryma product portfolio therefore includes innovations for protein enrichment and carbohydrate reduction, as well as functional ingredients for vegan and vegetarian products.” 

In the future, the company will focus more on clean label products, especially in the area of plant-based foods, Klein concludes. 

By Missy Green