Studies on effect of Sheeting Methods on the Expansion of Papads during Deep Fat Frying using Scanning Electron Microscopy

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies were used to evaluate the
distribution/alterations of the cellular matrix of the deep-fat-fried papads,
which are traditional food adjuncts of India. Papad is a thin circular sheet
made from dough containing blackgram (Phaseolus mungo), common salt and
spices in various proportions. The circular sheets are made from the dough by
pressing the spherical-shaped dough balls. The method of pressing the dough
affects the cellular structure and hence the diametrical expansion of papads
during deep fat frying, which is a desirable quality attribute for the papads. In
the present study, papads were prepared by employing three different methods
of sheeting the dough, viz., by using a wooden roller pin, by using the thumb
and by using a mechanical press. Papads produced by these three different
methods were deep fat fried, and % expansions were calculated after deep fat
frying. Fried papads were subjected to SEM to understand the distribution/
alteration of the matrix by different sheeting methods. The SEM micrographs
of the thumb-pressed papads showed that they had good distribution of the
protein–carbohydrate matrix, thereby achieving the highest diametrical
expansion, followed by wooden pin-rolled papads, then by machine-pressed
papads.