Impact of replacing fat with pearl millet fibers on the bioactivity and quality of beef burger

Abstract

Abstract This study focused on developing a low-fat beef burger by replacing added beef fat with pearl millet bran. The control sample (T1) consisted of 85% lean meat and 15% added animal fat. Pearl millet bran (PMB) was incorporated at varying ratios: 0% (T1), 5% (T2), 10% (T3), and 15% (T4) of the total content in the beef burgers, in place of the added beef fat. Analyses using the Folin-Ciocalteu and DPPH assays showed that the addition of pearl millet bran increased both phenolic content and antioxidant activity in the burgers. Quality indices, particularly peroxide and TBARS values after 3 days of storage, were lower for T4 (1.77 meq O 2 /kg fat and 0.38 mg MDA/kg fat) compared to T1 (3.12 meq O 2 /kg fat and 0.78 mg MDA/kg fat). Additionally, PMB improved the cooking characteristics of the resultant burgers. The cooking loss decreased from 36.36% in T1 to 15.20% in T4, while the shrinkage ratio reduced from 31.10% in T1 to 13.29% in T4. The firmness of the burger samples improved with the addition of pearl millet bran. The pearl millet bran increased all color parameters. However, this did not impact negatively on the acceptance of cooked beef burgers. In terms of sensory attributes, sample T2 was significantly preferred over T1, T3, and T4. Overall, this study highlights the potential of pearl millet bran as a natural bioactive fat replacer for creating a healthier processed meat product with desirable eating characteristics.