Effect of oat's soluble fibre (β-glucan) as a fat replacer on physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory properties of low-fat beef patties

Effects of Çemen pastes prepared in different formulations on physicochemical, microbiological, and textural properties of beef hamburger patties during refrigerated storage

This study aimed to investigate the effects of çemen pastes prepared in different formulations on physicochemical, microbiological, and textural properties of hamburgers during refrigerated storage (4°C; 60 d). Çemen pastes were produced by using different combination doses of fenugreek seed flour, sweet red pepper, and garlic powder. As a result of çemen paste usage in hamburgers, cooking losses and dimensional shrinkage decreased, whereas moisture and fat retention ratios increased (p < .05). The hardness, gumminess, and chewiness values of hamburgers containing çemen paste were generally lower than those of control (p < .05). Çemen paste addition to hamburgers generally did not cause a difference in terms of microbial growth and moisture, fat and ash contents. Protein contents of hamburgers containing çemen paste or breadcrumbs were generally higher than that of control (p < .05). Çemen paste usage in hamburgers generally decreased the L* values and increased the b* values (p < .05). In general, addition of 3.5% or higher doses of both sweet red pepper and garlic powder caused higher a* values in hamburger patties (p < .05). Lower oxidation levels were generally observed in hamburgers containing 3% or lower doses of fenugreek seed flour and 4.5% of garlic powder in çemen paste (p < .05). It was concluded that çemen paste usage in hamburger patty processing has the potential to improve the quality characteristics and delay oxidative changes.

Textured soy protein with meat odor as an ingredient for improving the sensory quality of meat analog and soy burger

Even with the growing consumption of plant-based products, the consumption of soy-based products is still a limitation due to the off-flavor of soy. Thus, two studies were performed using textured soy protein (TSP) with meat odor as meat analog and as soy burger. TSP with meat odor was produced by adding thiamine (aroma precursor) to soy protein concentrate (SPC) before extrusion. Three TSP were used in each study: one without thiamine and two with thiamine but with different moisture contents of the SPC. TSP with thiamine did not affect technological or physical properties of the products. For meat analogs, the samples with thiamine showed greater odor acceptance and greater intensities of meat odor, burnt aftertaste, and aromatic in relation to the sample without thiamine, as well as lower intensity of soy odor. For soy burgers, the samples with thiamine had higher acceptances of odor and flavor and overall acceptance, and higher intensities of chicken odor and aromatic in comparison to the sample without thiamine, as well as lower intensity of soy/vegetable odor. The use of TSP with thiamine raises the sensory quality of meat analogue and soy burger, being an interesting alternative in obtaining soy-based products with lower soy odor.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05875-0.

Comparison of differences in sensory, volatile odour-activity and volatile profile of commercial plant-based meats

Descriptive sensory analysis was paired with temporal check-all-that-apply gas-chromatography olfactometry (TCATA GC-O) to compare differences in perceived flavour and volatile odour activity across a series of commercial plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) versus conventional beef products. Multiple factor analysis separated PBMAs in two clusters along the first principal axis. The first cluster, rated higher in meaty flavour and odour, also showed higher citation proportions of sulfurous odourants. In contrast, the second cluster, higher in off odour and flavour, had higher citation proportions for fatty / legume odourants. Key odourants correlated with meaty flavour and odour were putatively identified as 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, dimethyl trisulfide, and furfuryl mercaptan while compounds correlated to off flavour and odour were putatively identified as (E,E)-3,5-octadien-2-one, 2-undecanol, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal. No correspondence was found between PBMA odour-activity and source protein, suggesting that volatile flavour production in PBMAs is derived primarily from exogeneous flavouring materials or precursors rather than the base protein material. Contributions of lipid-protein interactions to overall flavour differences is further suggested by the putative discovery of 5,6-dihydro-2,4,6-trimethyl-4H-1,3,5-dithiazine odour activity in several meat samples profiled.

Plant-based meat analogs and fat substitutes, structuring technology and protein digestion: A review

There is currently an increasing trend in the consumption of meat analogs and fat substitutes due to the health hazards by excessive consumption of meat. Simulating the texture and mouthfeel of meat through structured plant-derived polymers has become a popular processing method. In this review, the mechanical structuring technology of plant polymers for completely replacing real meat is mainly introduced in this review, which mainly focuses on the parameters and principles of mechanical equipment for the production of vegan meat. The difference in composition between plant meat and real meat is mainly reflected in the protein, and particular attention should be paid to the digestive characteristics of plant meat protein in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the differences in the protein digestibility properties of meat analogs and real meat is discussed in this review, focusing primarily on protein digestibility and peptide/amino acid composition of mechanically structured vegan meats. In terms of fat substitutes for meat products, the types of plant polymer colloidal systems used for meat fat substitutes is comprehensively introduced, including emulsion, hydrogel and oleogel.

Effect of Chickpea Dietary Fiber on the Emulsion Gel Properties of Pork Myofibrillar Protein

In this study, the effect of chickpea dietary fiber (CDF) concentration (0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2%, 1.6%, and 2.0%) on emulsion gel properties of myofibrillar protein (MP) was investigated. It was found that the emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability index (ESI) of MP increased with the increasing content of CDF. Moreover, the water- and fat-binding capacity (WFB), gel strength, storage modulus (G'), and loss modulus (G") of MP emulsion gel also increased with increasing content of CDF. When the concentration of CDF was 2%, the most significant improvement was observed for EAI, breaking force, and WFB (p < 0.05); the three-dimensional gel network structure of the MP emulsion gel was denser and the pore diameter was smaller. The T₂₁ relaxation time of emulsion gel decreased while the PT₂₁ increased significantly with the increasing content of CDF, suggesting that the emulsion gel with CDF had a better three-dimension network. The addition of CDF led to an increased content of β-sheet and reactive sulfhydryl and increased surface hydrophobicity of MP, thus improving the gel properties of the MP emulsion gel. In conclusion, the addition of CDF improved the functional properties and facilitated the gelation of the MP emulsion, indicating that CDF has the potential to improve the quality of emulsified meat products.

Influence of soaking and solvent extraction for deodorization of texturized pea protein isolate on the formulation and properties of hybrid meat patties

BACKGROUND

Hybrid batters constitute the base for the processing of cooked and dry meat analogues. The use of texturized plant proteins in their formulation is a key strategy to reduce the consumption of animal proteins, although off-flavors present in these plant proteins often cause sensory rejection. The aim was to study the effect of a deodorization process of pea protein, for their use in hybrid meat batters at different percentages of substitution.

RESULTS

Hybrid patties with higher percentages of pea protein showed higher values of yellowness, pH, and water activity, whereas hardness was reduced. Soaking treatment with ethanol for deodorization of the texturized pea protein increased humidity and pH in all patties but reduced the textural properties (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and chewiness). The addition of oat flour improved the patty texture at higher percentages of pea protein, but in soaked deodorized patty formulations it affected volatile retention. Volatile compounds related to off-flavors (aldehydes, alcohols, acid compounds, ketones, and pyrazines) appeared significantly increased as the pea percentage increased, although these were efficiently removed by the soaking deodorizing process applied.

CONCLUSION

Soaking of the texturized pea protein with ethanol is an effective strategy to reduce off-flavors in hybrid meat patties. However, it produces changes in the textural characteristics by the solubilization of the proteins of the texturized pea, reducing the availability to form a network and affecting volatile retention. The formulation of hybrid batter should be controlled in all sensory aspects for the processing of cooked and dry cured meat product analogues. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Nutritional, Physicochemical, and Organoleptic Properties of Camel Meat Burger Incorporating Unpollinated Barhi Date Fruit Pulp

The chemical composition of unpollinated Barhi date fruit (UBDF) (at khalal maturity stage) pulp and its effect as fiber source or fat replacer on the quality characteristics of camel meat burgers were investigated. The UBDF was characterized by high total carbohydrate, fiber, and mineral contents. It contains substantial amounts of fiber (19.60%) and low-fat content. Prepared UBDF pulp was added to camel meat burger as a fiber source at 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, and 15% instead of camel meat and as a fat replacer at 50, 75, and 100% instead of camel-back fat during manufacturing of camel meat burgers. Chemical composition, mineral content, instrumental color, cooking characteristics, and organoleptic properties were evaluated. Results indicated that adding UBDF as fiber source significantly reduced moisture and protein contents and increased total carbohydrates, including fiber content. In camel meat burgers, K and Ca significantly increased in UBDF level-dependent manure. Adding UBDF as a fat replacer significantly increased moisture and total carbohydrate contents, while a significant reduction in fat content has been remarked. Increasing the levels of UBDF pulp as either fiber source or fat replacer in camel burgers improved (p < 0.05) shrinkage, cooking loss, and cooking yield in roasted camel burger level-dependent manure. The incorporation of UBDF pulp in camel burgers increased the lightness (L^∗) values and decreased the redness (a^∗) and yellowness (b^∗) significantly. The formulated camel burgers with different UBDF pulp levels revealed better organoleptic characteristics than normal camel meat burgers. Interestingly, adding UBDF as fiber source at 7.5-15% presented overall acceptability of more than 90% compared to the control sample of 81.7%. In the same context, adding UBDF as a fat replacer at 100% replacing the level of added fats scored overall acceptability of more than 93.60% compared to the control sample of 67.4%. Generally, according to the results of this study, it could be concluded that UBDF pulp could be used as a functional additive to produce high-fiber and/or low-fat camel meat burgers.

Structural characterization of a water-soluble and antimicrobial β-glucan secreted by Rhizobium pusense

In this study, a bacterium with the ability to extracellularly produce a water-soluble polysaccharide (with high molecular mass of 743 kDa) was obtained from saline soils. This strain named as ZB01 was identified as Rhizobium punsense by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The monomer composition and structure of extracellular polysaccharides were investigated by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography-pulsed amperometric detector, Fourier-transform infrared, methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis. In addition, the morphological characterization of extracellular polysaccharides was performed by scanning electron microscopy analysis. As a result, the polysaccharide is found to be a novel water-soluble type of glucan most likely consisting of repeating two β-d-Glcp-(1 → 3) and one α-d-Glcp-(1 → 3). Furthermore, it showed pronounced antimicrobial effects against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, suggesting it has the potential to be used as a natural antibacterial agent in the future.

Effect of oat β-glucan on in vitro digestion characteristics of set- type yogurt

The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of added 0.3% (w/w) oat β-glucan (OG) in set-type yogurt on its protein digestion using an in vitro gastrointestinal model. During gastric digestion phase, the amount of soluble proteins and peptides increased to 25% and 40% for control yogurt (yogurt without OG) and 0.3% OG yogurt, respectively. Buccal digestion has little effect on the structure of yogurts, while large spherical vesicles were formed for both control yogurt and 0.3% OG yogurt after gastric digestion. The presence of 0.3% OG promoted the hydrolysis of yogurt in the gastric digestion phase and caused higher antioxidant activity. Compared with that of control yogurt, the inhibition of cholesterol solubility of 0.3% OG yogurt showed no differences after buccal digestion but significantly higher after gastrointestinal digestion (21.3% for gastric and 22.7% for intestinal digestion). Overall, this study enhances the understanding of digestion characteristics of 0.3% OG-fortified set-type yogurt and provides a theoretical basis for the development of this kind of dairy products.

Quality Characteristics of Substitute Meat Patties Developed Using Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus Hara

We developed a vegetable alternative to meat patties using Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus Hara (A. dioicus) and used it to generate basic data for the alternative meat market by comparing nutritional and microbiological components with commercially available vegetable and meat patties. Nutrient analysis, microbiological analysis, chromaticity, and texture analysis were performed on substitute meat patties (SMPs) with A. dioicus and commercially available vegetable and animal patties. Among sugars, the contents of fructose and maltose were respectively high in commercial meat patties (CMPs) and SMPs. SMPs were low in saturated and trans-fat, and high in ω-3 fatty acids. The contents (in descending order) of leucine > phenylalanine > threonine > isoleucine were high in SMPs and commercial vegetable patties (CVPs). Qualitative and quantitative findings of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus were all negative. Our SMPs had high lightness (L*), low redness (a*), and low yellowness (b*). The hardness, chewiness, and resilience of our SMPs were lower than those of other vegetable and animal patties. Considering our results, the method of manufacturing SMPs developed in the present study allows meat to be flavored without significant nutritional differences compared with commercially available CMPs. Our findings provide a base for studies on future meat alternatives.

Meat Substitution with Oat Protein Can Improve Ground Beef Patty Characteristics

The consumer acceptance of alternative plant-focused ingredients within the meat industry is growing globally. Oat protein is insoluble and used to increase product yield and fat retention. Furthermore, inclusion of oat protein can provide manufacturers another option for extending beef supplies. As the consumer diet shifts for improvements in nutritional density, oat protein is an alternative ingredient that lacks information on inclusion in a ground beef formulation. Coarse ground beef was allocated to one of four treatments, mixed with oat protein (0%, 1.5%, 3.5% and 4.5%), water, salt, pepper, textured vegetable protein, soy protein concentrate, and sodium tripolyphosphate. Meat blocks (n = 3 batches) were finely ground and formed into patties (N = 65/treatment). Patties were placed onto an expanded polystyrene tray, overwrapped with polyvinyl chloride film and displayed for 7 days. Instrumental color (L*, a*, and b*) decreased throughout simulated display (p = 0.0001). Increased usage rates of oat protein in patties resulted in greater cook yields (p = 0.0001). Objective measures of Allo-Kramer shear force values increased as oat protein inclusion rates increased (p = 0.0001). Oat protein can be incorporated in ground beef patties with positive effects on cook yield, but inclusion rate may have a deleterious impact on color and instrumental tenderness.

Biotechnological Addition of β-Glucans from Cereals, Mushrooms and Yeasts in Foods and Animal Feed

Varied cereal plants including, mushrooms, yeast, bacteria and algae are important sources of β-glucans, and many extraction procedures have been used in order to recover these valuable naturally occurring polysaccharides. The rheological and molecular properties of β-glucans can be utilized to be incorporated into various foods and to offer properties extremely beneficial to human health. Their functional effects are mainly determined by their molecular and structural characteristics. Consumption of foods fortified and enriched with β-glucans can contribute to the treatment of certain chronic diseases. Reduced cholesterol, cardiovascular and diabetic risk and moderate glycemic response of foods have been recorded with the consumption of these biologically active compounds. In addition, β-glucans are characterized by anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. As β-glucans interact with the foods in which they are incorporated, this review aims to discuss recent applications with quality and nutritional results of β-glucans incorporation with foods such as beverages, dairy, bakery, meat and pasta products, as well as their addition in animal feeds and their uses in other fields such as medicine.

Functionality and consumer acceptability of low-fat breakfast sausages processed with non-meat ingredients of pulse derivatives

BACKGROUND

Owing to recent changes in consumer eating behaviours as well as potential cost savings for processors, pulse ingredients are finding more application in the meat processing industry. In this study, pea ingredients (pea fibre, FB; pea starch, ST; pea flour, PF) and chickpea flour (CF) were used, at 4% addition level, as fat replacers in low-fat breakfast sausages. The impact of these substitutions on processing and sensory characteristics of breakfast sausage was evaluated.

RESULTS

While reduction in fat content in breakfast sausage resulted in some detrimental changes in cooking as well as textural characteristics of the product, addition of binders significantly improved these attributes in low-fat breakfast sausages. Overall, treatment formulation did not significantly affect the pH and the instrumental colour attributes of cooked breakfast sausage. Addition of all binders resulted in reduced cooking loss and increased moisture retention in low-fat breakfast sausage (P < 0.05), whereas, FB and ST were significantly more effective in improving water holding capacity of low-fat breakfast sausage. Furthermore, while both FB and ST increased the hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness parameters of low-fat breakfast sausage (P < 0.05), PF and CF had no impact. Generally, the consumer overall liking and flavour acceptability of FB and ST in low-fat breakfast sausage were significantly higher than those of PF and CF.

CONCLUSION

The use of ST or FB as a fat replacer in breakfast sausages offers processors improved cook yield without negatively impacting the important sensory attributes of breakfast sausages. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Influence of Plant-Based Proteins on the Fresh and Cooked Characteristics of Ground Beef Patties

Blended meat/plant products are capturing industry market space at the retail counter for value-added beef products. Plant protein ingredients can be added to meat formulations to create appealing and functional products. Ground beef was combined with one of three plant protein inclusion treatments: control, pea, oat, or rice, along with 5% textured vegetable protein (TVP) and 1.5% soy protein concentrate then formed into 226 g patties containing up to 10% plant-based proteins. Patties were analyzed for fresh and cooked characteristics throughout a 5- or 7-day retail display. The inclusion of plant-based proteins negatively affected the instrumental tenderness values which were greater (p < 0.01) in plant-inclusion patties compared to the control patties. The inclusion of plant proteins increased (p = 0.01) the cooking yield of patties compared to the control. Cooking time was longer (p = 0.04) for oat patties compared to the control patties. Cooked color values for vegetable inclusion patties did not affect (p = 0.12) lightness (CIE L*) values; however, redness (CIE a*) was greater (p < 0.01) for rice than all other treatments and yellowness (CIE b*) values were greater (p < 0.01) for all protein treatments compared to the control. Rice improved (p < 0.01) fresh a* values on day 5 of display compared to the control; whereas pea decreased (p = 0.04) values compared to the control. There was a treatment × day interaction (p < 0.01) on lipid oxidation values with a reduction in values on day 3 for all vegetable proteins compared to the control and on day 7 lipid oxidation was reduced (p ≤ 0.03) for oat patties.

Incorporation of Low Molecular Weight Chitosan in a Low-Fat Beef Burger: Assessment of Technological Quality and Oxidative Stability

In the present work, incorporating low molecular weight chitosan (LMWCH) (0, 0.5, 1, and 2%) as a fat replacer into low-fat beef burgers and technological, textural, and oxidative stability were investigated. The weight loss and shrinkage of samples decreased with the increase of LMWCH concentration. In contrast, the water-holding capacity and color of burgers were enhanced by the addition of LMWCH. The instrumental TPA results indicated an increase in the LMWCH levels, significantly increasing the hardness, springiness, and gumminess but decreasing the cohesiveness of low-fat beef burgers. The TBARS and peroxide values and free fatty acid content in the burgers supplemented with LMWCH increase slower than the control sample during refrigerated storage.

The Effect of the Addition of Fiber Preparations on the Color of Medium-Grounded Pasteurized and Sterilized Model Canned Meat Products

A beneficial aspect of the use of fiber preparations in the meat industry is the improvement of some quality characteristics of meat products. However, the preparation added in the amount of 3 or 6% may affect their color. The effect of the addition of barley, wheat and oat fiber preparations with different fiber lengths, in quantities allowing the product to be indicated as “high in fiber” or “source of fiber”, to pasteurized or sterilized medium-grounded canned meat products on their color, was determined. In the obtained canned meat products, the basic chemical composition and the L*, a* and b*, C* (Chroma) and h* (hue angle) color components were determined. The addition of the barley fiber preparation BG 300 to the model canned meat products caused a significant (p ≤ 0.05) darkening and an increase in the proportion of yellow color. In an industrial practice, this may result in poorer consumer acceptance of the meat product. Fiber length of wheat and barley fiber had no effect on the color components of products. The 6% addition of the wheat fiber preparations WF 200R and WF 600R or the oat fiber preparations HF 200 and HF 600 caused an apparent lightening of their color (ΔE > 2) compared to the control products.

Molecular Characteristics, Synthase, and Food Application of Cereal β-Glucan

Cereal β-glucan is a type of valuable dietary fiber that mainly exists in the aleurone, subaleurone, and endosperm of some cereal grains. β-Glucan is acknowledged as a functional food ingredient owing to its multiple health benefits, including the prevention of diabetes, reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular disease, antitumor effects, antioxidant activities, and immunostimulation. It is well documented that cellulose synthase-like CslF/H/J genes encode synthases responsible for β-glucan biosynthesis in cereal grains. Recently, β-glucan has been widely applied as an emulsion stabilizer, thickening agent, fat substitute, and bioactive ingredient in the food industry due to its water solubility, viscosity, gelation property, and health benefits. Therefore, the present paper aims to review the molecular characteristics, synthase gene family, and food application of cereal β-glucan in recent years.

Methods for Testing the Quality Attributes of Plant-Based Foods: Meat- and Processed-Meat Analogs

The modern food system is seeing a change in consumption patterns provoked by several drivers—including ethical, health, and environmental concerns—that are increasing the sales of meat analog foods. This change is accompanied by increased research and development activities in the area of plant-based meats. The aim of the present review is to describe methods that are being employed by scientists to analyze and characterize the properties of meat alternatives and to propose standardized methods that could be utilized in the future. In particular, methods to determine the proximate composition, microstructure, appearance, textural properties, water-holding properties, cooking resilience, and sensory attributes, of plant-based meat are given. The principles behind these methods are presented, their utility is critically assessed, and practical examples will be discussed. This article will help to guide further studies and to choose appropriate methods to assess raw materials, processes, products, and consumption behavior of meat analogs.

Performance of reduced fat-reduced salt fermented sausage with added microcrystalline cellulose, resistant starch and oat fiber using the simplex design

The search for ingredients that improve technological and nutritional aspects of food has been intensified in recent years by both researchers and industry. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate fermented sausages with simultaneous reduction of fat (25%) and salt (25% KCl; 75% NaCl) using up to 2% of three different dietary fiber: microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), resistant starch (RS) and oat fiber (OF). Technological and sensory evaluations used the simplex-centroid mixture design. The dietary fiber added did not affect the weight loss, pH values and sensory acceptance. Models were obtained for water activity, lactic acid bacteria, hardness, chewiness and TBARS values. When included in combination the three dietary fiber helped reduce water activity, inclusion of MCC increased the population of lactic acid bacteria, and inclusion of OF with MCC demonstrated an antioxidant effect and improved hardness and chewiness. These dietary fibers are ingredients that can contribute to the development of reduced fat - reduced salt fermented sausage.

Water-insoluble dietary fibers from oats enhance gel properties of duck myofibrillar proteins

The effects of different particle sizes (90-µm and 200-µm) and contents (1.5% and 3%) of water-insoluble dietary fibers (IDF) on the gelation properties of duck myofibrillar protein (MP) were explored. The results showed that the addition of IDF improved the gel strength and water holding capacity of MP compared with the control (P < 0.05). IDF reinforced the formation of network structure and the viscoelasticity of gel; 1.5% 200-µm IDF reached the maximum among these treatments. PT₂₁ of the gel with IDF was higher than that of the control (P < 0.05), revealing that the addition of IDF accelerated the transformation of free water into immobilized water within the gel matrix. An ordered flaky gel network with small water holes was responsible for the increase of fractal dimension of the gel with IDF. Water distribution and viscoelasticity are the critical factors that IDF affects the gel properties of duck MP.

Fat Replacement by Vegetal Fibres to Improve the Quality of Sausages Elaborated with Non-Castrated Male Pork

Simple Summary

Traditionally, male pigs were castrated without anaesthesia or pain relief before they reached 7 days of age to avoid the production of an undesirable odour and flavour in their meat, termed “boar taint.” In recent years, to improve animal welfare according to European recommendations, farmers have generally abandoned this practice, increasing the supply of non-castrated male pork in the market. Based on this, alternatives are required to improve the quality of meat and meat products derived from these animals, as these products also possess different texture characteristics that make the meat harder and less juicy due to the presence of less fat. Recently, health has become more important to consumers, and reducing the fat content in non-castrated male pig products by replacing it with vegetable fibre has been shown to represent a good strategy for masking and improving texture.

Abstract

Based on the need to find alternatives for the use of meat from non-castrated male pigs that contains high levels of androstenone and skatole, the production of meat products (raw and Frankfurt sausages) with reduced fat content was proposed, as these compounds are lipophilic. For this purpose, three batches of each product (total six) were produced. These included a control batch (1); normal fat content and two fat-reduced batches, where (2) fat was replaced with inulin and β-glucan, or (3) fat was replaced with inulin and β-glucan in addition to a skin grape by-product. These groups used meat from non-castrated male pigs that contained 6.25 µg/g androstenone and 0.4451 µg/g skatole. In general, fat-reduced sausages exhibited less brightness than did the controls. The texture results in Frankfurt were similar to those of the control, while Spanish sausage supplemented with grape skin exhibited reduced hardness. Both strategies resulted in a reduction in boar taint, and this reduction was up to 87.3% in raw sausages with grape by-products. Fat reduction could provide an interesting strategy to allow for the use of tainted meat from non-castrated male pigs.

Effectiveness of Oat-Hull-Based Ingredient as Fat Replacer to Produce Low Fat Burger with High Beta-Glucans Content

Low-fat beef burgers with high beta-glucan content was obtained using a gel made from an oat-hull-based ingredient as fat replacer. Two levels of fat substitution were considered: 50% (T1) and 100% (T2). The nutritional composition, cooking yield, textural properties, color characteristics and consumer preference were evaluated, in comparison with a burger without fat replacer (CTRL). After cooking, T2 burger showed a significant increase in the cooking yield and a very low lipid content (3.48 g 100 g^-1) as well as a level of beta-glucans per single portion (2.96 g 100 g^-1) near the recommended daily intake. In T1 burger, the decrease of lipid content was mitigated during the cooking process, because the beta-glucans added had a fat-retaining effect. Compared to CTRL, replacing fat led to a softer texture of cooked burgers evaluated by Texture Profile Analysis. The differences in color, significant in raw burgers, were smoothed with cooking. The consumer evaluation, carried out according to the duo-trio test, highlighted significant differences between CTRL and T2 burgers in terms of odor, taste, color and texture. The consumers expressed a higher preference for the T2 burger, probably due to its softer texture and greater juiciness.

Evaluation of oat β-glucan-marine collagen peptide mixed gel and its application as the fat replacer in the sausage products

The food industry is currently shown the concern with low-fat products. This study aims to evaluate the properties of oat β-glucan(OG)-marine collagen peptide (MCP) mixed gels induced by high pressure at different ratios, pressures, pH levels and the superiority of application in the sausage. The results indicated that the typical gel with high levels of hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness, as well as high water holding and oil adsorption capacities was formed using the OG/MCP ratio of 10:1 under 400 MPa at pH 6.0. The mixed gel replacing with 50% fat significantly increased the springiness and chewing(P<0.05), and sausages with 80% mixed gel were significantly juicier than that of the control sausage(P<0.05). Therefore, OG-MCP mixed gel could be used in the reformulation of low-fat meat products to enhance their safety and nutritional value.

Dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) peel as antioxidant dietary fibre on quality and lipid oxidation of chicken nuggets

In this study, the efficacy of dragon fruit peel (DFP) powder as antioxidant dietary fibre (ADF), at two different concentrations (T1-1.5% and T2-3.0%), on quality improvement and susceptibility to lipid oxidation of chicken nuggets during 20 days of refrigerated storage was assessed. DFP, rich in dietary fibre (56.91%) with higher insoluble dietary fibre, phenolics (36-39 mgGAE/100 g) content and possessing good radical scavenging activity as well as reducing power, contained 10.36% protein, 4.48% fat and 2.34% ash. HPLC analysis revealed presence of high concentrations of gallic and ferulic acid, among the phenolics. Incorporation of DFP in nuggets although decreased the pH but improved emulsion stability as well as cooking yield and had higher protein, ash and lower fat content. Further, the treated nuggets had significantly (p < 0.05) higher dietary fibre and total phenolics content than control. Incorporation of DFP decreased the hardness, gumminess and chewiness and improved (p < 0.05) the products' redness values. Sensory evaluation of the products revealed significant improvement in the appearance score and non-significant (p > 0.05) increase in the scores of other attributes compared to control samples. DFP significantly decreased lipid peroxidation, odour scores and microbial load in chicken nuggets during 20 days of storage period. From the study, it could be deduced that DFP rich in bioactive components had positive influence on the nutritional quality of chicken nuggets and could also be used as ADF in muscle food without affecting the quality and acceptability of products.

Use of Agaricus bisporus mushroom in beef burgers: antioxidant, flavor enhancer and fat replacing potential

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the potential use of Agaricus bisporus mushroom as a natural antioxidant, fat/salt substitute and flavor enhancer in beef burger. Ten treatments were considered using a fractional factorial design (salt [0.5, 1.25 and 2.0%], fat [10, 15 and 20%] and mushroom content [0, 15 and 30%]). Treatments were characterized by instrumental and sensory measurements. The statistical design indicated that fat content had little influence on the results. The principal component analysis showed that the incorporation of mushrooms and salt modified the texture, moisture and water activity. Oxidative stability decreased as the salt content increased, at a low-fat content. Finally, the sensory profile was affected by the mushroom and salt contents, with the fat content exerting the least influence. Therefore, mushroom incorporation in beef burger may be a feasible strategy to reduce the fat content of beef burgers.

Graphical abstract

Effects of the incorporation of β-glucans in chicken breast during storage

β-glucans are cereal-derived soluble fiber compounds that elicit health benefits when consumed in amounts of 0.75 g/serving. The use of β-glucans in whole muscle meat products, such as chicken breast, is unexplored and needs clarification at a discovery level. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incorporation of β-glucan in the whole muscle chicken breast and identify changes in physical, chemical, textural, microbiological, and thermal properties during 9 D of aerobic storage at refrigeration temperatures. Treatments were 1) control (no salt or β-glucan added; CON), 2) salt solution (2% NaCl and 0.2% phosphate curing solution; SALT), 3) β-glucan solution (1.5% β-glucan; βG), and 4) combination of salt and β-glucan solutions (2% NaCl, 0.2% phosphate, and 1.5% β-glucan; SALT+βG). The target injection level was 20%, however the average uptake level was 8.15%. Color, pH, shear force, and bacteria count were minimally affected by treatment during the 9 D of aerobic storage at 4°C. Cooking loss (P < 0.01) was greater in CON samples compared to all other treatments indicating the presence of salt or fiber or both improved water retention. The β-glucan concentration in uncooked chicken following injection was 0.125 g/100 g product and 0.133 g/100g product in βG and SALT+βG treatments, respectively. Following cooking, the β-glucan concentration was 0.010 g/100g product and 0.004 g/100g product in βG and SALT+βG treatments, respectively. There was no storage day effect (P = 0.42) for the β-glucan concentration in cooked product, therefore it was assumed that during cooking, β-glucan concentration in whole muscle injected products was lost. Finally, thermal behavior measured with a differential scanning calorimeter indicated that there were only minimal differences, although some significant, among treatments in this study. Overall, the application of β-glucan injection in whole chicken breast was not detrimental to product quality and actually improved water retention levels. However, new methods need to be developed for the incorporation of β-glucan in injected whole muscle meat product so that β-glucan can be retained during and after cooking.

Addition of seaweed powder and sulphated polysaccharide on shelf_life extension of functional fish surimi restructured product

This study aimed to investigate the performance of equal amounts of edible green seaweed, Ulva intestinalis powder (2.77 g kg^-1), and its sulphated polysaccharide ([USP], 0.5 g kg^-1, based on the extraction yield from U. intestinalis powder) on the proximate compositions, lipid oxidation, pH, colour, textural properties, cooking yield and sensory attributes of fish-surimi restructured products during storage at - 18 °C as compared with the control. Results showed incorporation of two functional components resulted in lower TBARS values compared with the control over 6 months (P ≤ 0.05). The USP incorporated fingers showed the least moisture loss over 6 months (P < 0.05). Textural properties for two functional fingers remained relatively stable from month 0 to month 6, while the hardness increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the control fingers (67 to 80 N). Additionally, the sensory attributes of all formulated fingers were judged acceptable; however, the USP containing fingers were preferred by the sensory panelists, due to their juicy texture as a result of less cooking loss comparing with others. In conclusion, this study suggests the potential use of such natural marine ingredients to maintain the quality and to extend the shelf life of surimi-based products with beneficial health effects.

Effects of beta-glucan addition on the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of fermented sausage

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of added beta-glucan (β-glucan) levels on the lipid oxidation, physicochemical, microbiological, textural and sensorial properties of fermented sausage produced with various amounts of beef fat during fermentation and storage periods. To determine the effects of β-glucan, twelve sausage treatments included four controls (no β-glucan) with or without beef fat and starter culture addition and eight β-glucan incorporated groups produced with addition of starter culture, various levels of β-glucan (0, 1, 2%) and different levels (0, 10, 15, 20%) of beef fat were manufactured. The results indicated that addition of β-glucan decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values compared to control groups which had 20% beef fat (P < 0.05). β-glucan enhanced the growth of lactic acid bacteria during fermentation and storage periods (P < 0.05). The addition of β-glucan caused a decrease in water activity and pH values of sausage during the fermentation and storage (P < 0.05). Color values, fatty acid composition, protein, fat, moisture and ash content were not influenced by the use of β-glucan (P < 0.05). Higher levels of β-glucan in sausage formulation caused an increase in the hardness values of sausage (P < 0.05).

Mixture design approach for the development of reduced fat lamb patties with carboxymethyl cellulose and inulin

Fat replacement by carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and inulin (IN) for the manufacture of low-fat lamb patties was investigated utilizing mixture design. The effect of fat, CMC, and IN levels on texture, color, weight loss, patty diameter reduction, and sensory characteristics was investigated. The presence of CMC decreased hardness (p < 0.05). While CMC and IN also decreased springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness (p < 0.05), no effect on adhesiveness was observed (p > 0.05). CMC increased L* (lightness), a* (redness), and b* (yellowness) values in raw patties, whereas IN and fat contributed to a decrease on these parameters. Higher contents of CMC resulted in products with lower weight loss (p < 0.05) with no significative diameter reduction (p > 0.05). Nonetheless, higher levels of CMC affected the sensory acceptance resulting on products described as crumbly and with residual flavor by check-all-that-apply questions. CMC and IN can be used as fat replacers in lamb patties; however, the content of each ingredient must be carefully considered. In this study, it was observed that contents of CMC higher than 1% (w/w) negatively affected the product, whereas IN levels were not capable to decrease weight loss and diameter reduction in lamb patties.

Replacing starch in beef emulsion models with β-glucan, microcrystalline cellulose, or a combination of β-glucan and microcrystalline cellulose

Barley sourced beta-glucan (βG), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), or starch were added to beef emulsions containing beef, olive oil, salts, and water. Emulsions with inclusion levels of 1% of βG, MCC, or starch, 2% of βG, MCC, or starch, or 3% of βG, MCC, or starch, and a mixture of βG (1.5%) and MCC (1.5%) were evaluated for proximate composition, cooking loss, instrumental color, and texture profile analyses (TPA) in three independent replications. As expected, proximate composition differed based mainly on the hydrocolloid used and formulation. Cooking loss was not different among treatments. However, TPA differed with βG samples having lower (P < .05) values for hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness compared with MCC and starch samples, while samples prepared with MCC and starch presented similar TPA. Emulsions prepared with βG had greater (P < .05) b* values before cooking when compared with emulsions prepared with MCC and starch, but these differences were not observed in cooked emulsions.