Effects of the replacement of pork fat by psyllium mucilage in beef hamburgers and display time on chemical-physical characteristics

Due to the high-fat content of meat products, finding options that make them healthier and that can replace fat is the key to meeting consumer expectations today. In this way, psyllium has been used as an ingredient with potential application in these new products. To assess the effects of including psyllium in beef burgers as a fat substitute, the chemical composition, pH, color, cooking loss, shear force, lipid oxidation, and microstructure characteristics were evaluated. Replacing animal fat with psyllium mucilage in the beef burgers preparation reduced total protein and lipid values and increased moisture and ash values, turn the burgers darker (L* and a* values), and contributed to the reduction of lipid oxidation. Thus, with the inclusion of psyllium mucilage with 15% of fat substituted by mucilage, the overall structure of the burgers was similar and could be used as fat replacer, improving the quality parameters of the meat products without changing the product quality.