Effects of air convection cooking on chicken nugget quality

In this study, the effects of various air convection cooking appliances, specifically air-fryer and oven, were investigated focusing on the cooking performance, the sensory and mechanical-acoustic properties and the development of thermal damage indexes in the fried food. Frozen chicken nuggets were chosen as a reference product, and they were cooked by air-fryer and oven using various time-temperature combinations. The thermal loads of the different cooking conditions were calculated and products were analysed for instrumental (colour, texture), sensory, and chemical (moisture, 5-hydroxymethyfurfural, Maillard reaction products) parameters. Product crispness was assessed by mechanical-acoustic instrumental test and the relationship between instrumental results and sensory evaluation were investigated. Results indicate that air-frying conditions significantly influenced the moisture content, texture, acoustic properties, and heat-induced compounds in chicken nuggets. Moisture loss increased with higher thermal loads, particularly in the crust, correlating inversely with mechanical parameters (r = −0.994 for peak force, p < 0.001). Strong direct correlations (p < 0.01) were observed between acoustic parameters and mechanical properties (0.955 < r < 0.977). Sensory ranking tests confirmed that crispness perception increased significantly (p < 0.0001) with extended cooking time and higher temperatures, and the sensory scores for crispness ranked in the same order of the mechanical-acoustic parameters. Air-fried nuggets cooked at 190 °C × 15 min most closely resembled oven-cooked nuggets in moisture and texture, with higher crispness indexes. Moderate levels of Maillard reaction products and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural were detected, remaining within safe limits for human consumption.