The crust qualities of fish nuggets by either 5 min deep-fat frying or 3.5 min microwave frying were evaluated by moisture content, oil content, texture, and color. The basic batter formulas contained equal quantity of corn and wheat flours, with different ingredients such as 1% protein, 5% starch or 1% gum. The ratio of solid and water in the batter was 1:0.85, and the flow behaviors of batters were fitted the Herschel-Bulkley model. The highest pick-up values were found in batters containing 1% CIVIC or 1% HPMC, and they were consistent with their high consistency index. The crusts containing 1% CMC or 1% HPMC showed the highest moisture contents. L* values and the lowest oil contents than the other crusts. The crust containing 1% HPMC had softer texture than the other crusts. Most crust qualities of fish nuggets showed no significantly difference between the two frying methods. Crown Copyright (c) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.