Alternative fat substitutes for beef burger: technological and sensory characteristics

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Dietary fat significantly impacts meat product quality, including texture, juiciness, and yield.
• Reducing lipid content in processed meats is a key objective for public health and consumer demand.
• Novel ingredients are sought to replace fat without compromising sensory and physical attributes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop beef burger formulations using various plant-based ingredients as fat substitutes.
• To evaluate the physical characteristics (color, yield, water-holding capacity, toughness, shrinkage) of these reformulated burgers.
• To assess the sensory acceptance of the burgers by untrained consumers.

Main Methods:

• Development of hamburger meat products incorporating oatmeal flour, green banana pulp flour, green banana peel flour, and apple peel flour as fat substitutes.
• Objective measurement of physical properties including color (L*, a*, b* values), cooking yield, water-holding capacity, toughness, and shrinkage.
• Sensory evaluation by untrained consumers to determine acceptance and preference.

Main Results:

• Green banana-based fat substitutes resulted in lower L* and b* color values.
• Oatmeal and apple peel flour additions led to higher a* values, indicating a redder appearance.
• Green banana substitutes enhanced burger yield and water-holding capacity, while reducing toughness and shrinkage.
• Sensory analysis indicated high acceptance for green banana (peel and pulp) and oatmeal flours as fat substitutes.

Conclusions:

• It is feasible to reduce lipid content in beef burgers using oat flour, apple peel flour, and green banana derivatives (pulp and peel).
• These fat substitutes can maintain or even improve key physical attributes like yield and water-holding capacity.
• Green banana and oat flours are promising ingredients for developing healthier beef burgers without sacrificing consumer acceptance.