Measurement and characterization of nutritional, oxidative, and technological changes in hybrid chicken burgers formulated with plant-based ingredients
The increasing demand for more sustainable chicken products has stimulated interest in hybrid formulations incorporating plant-based ingredients to improve nutritional characteristics while maintaining technological performance. This study evaluated the incorporation of plant-based ingredients (chickpeas, sweet peppers, linseed oil, olive oil, dried tomatoes, garlic, and onion) as functional additives in chicken burgers by partially replacing chicken meat at levels of 40%, 50%, and 60%. The effects on physicochemical properties, fatty acid and amino acid composition, mineral content, in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD), oxidative stability, color, texture, and sensory attributes were evaluated. The inclusion of plant ingredients increased pH and water-holding capacity, while decreasing lightness (L*) and increasing redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) (p < 0.05). Chemical composition analysis showed reductions in moisture (≤ 10%), lipid (≤ 35%), and protein content (≤ 15%), accompanied by increases in ash and dietary fiber, with fiber content rising by up to 324% compared with the control. The fatty acid profile changed with a 33% reduction in saturated fatty acids and an approximately 18% increase in total unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA and PUFA). Amino acid analysis indicated a decrease in total essential amino acids and an increase in several non-essential amino acids, particularly glutamic and aspartic acids. Mineral contents (Ca, K, Mg, Fe, and Zn) increased by 28–156%, while IVPD increased from 74.7% to 86.9%, representing an increase of approximately 16%. Oxidative stability improved, as indicated by a 35% reduction in TBARS, a 38% decrease in protein carbonyls, and a 62% increase in sulfhydryl groups. Texture profile parameters increased by 29–48%, contributing to higher juiciness and tenderness scores. Sensory evaluation by an internal semi-trained panel indicated higher panel acceptability scores for color, flavor, juiciness, and overall acceptability, with overall acceptability increasing by approximately 11% at the highest level of plant-based ingredient incorporation. Multivariate analyses (correlation analysis and PCA) confirmed significant relationships between the proportion of plant ingredients and the measured nutritional, technological, oxidative, and sensory parameters. In conclusion, these findings indicate that plant-based ingredients can be incorporated into chicken burgers to modify nutritional composition and technological characteristics while maintaining sensory acceptability in hybrid meat products.
