Effect of the addition of oat fiber on the physicochemical properties of cooked frozen hamburger with reduced fat and salt

Summary

New, healthier and easy to prepare meat products have been developed in order to satisfy consumers looking for convenience together with reduced fat and salt contents. New ingredients are tested to cause less impact on the texture, yield and other physicochemical properties of these products. This study aimed to evaluate the addition of oat fiber on the physicochemical properties of cooked and frozen hamburgers made from beef and mechanically deboned chicken meat with reduced fat and salt contents. The analyses carried out were the proximate composition, texture profile, yield, shrinkage and yield after heating in a microwave oven, besides the determination of instrumental colour during storage. The addition of 6% oat fibre to the hamburgers made from beef and mechanically deboned chicken meat with reduced fat and salt contents, increased the yield, decreased the weight loss during microwave heating and improved the colour stability during 60 days of frozen storage. Both the hamburgers with 3% and 6% of added oat fibre showed values for hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness similar to those of the control with added fat and no salt reduction. There was a reduction of 35% in the fat content for the treatments with added oat fibre as compared to the control with added fat and no salt reduction. Oat fibre can be considered a promising ingredient to assist the formulation of meat products with reduced salt and fat contents.

Keywords:
Yield; Shrinkage; Weight loss during microwave heating; Hardness