Characterizing the properties of hybrid meat burgers made with pulses and chicken

Abstract

Livestock production has detrimental impacts on the environment and has resulted in a need to create more sustainable protein sources. Pulses are a sustainable protein source, but innovative novel food products are needed to increase consumer consumption of pulses and reduce animal protein consumption. Hybrid meat products are food items that combine both plant and animal proteins. This study's objectives were to create a hybrid meat burger (HMB) using pulses and chicken in a burger and characterize the HMBs' chemical composition, physical and textural properties. Pulses (yellow pea, chickpea and lentil) were added to the chicken burger at 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%. The samples were analyzed for chemical composition, cooking properties and textural properties. All of the pulses reduced the fat content and moisture content in the meat analogues. The yellow peas reduced the protein content, but the chickpea and lentils did not. The pulses improved the samples' cooking properties with increased cooking yield and decreased diameter and thickness reduction. The HMBs' textural properties were significantly different from the control burger at 50% and 75% levels of substitution. This study demonstrated that pulses can be combined with chicken to create a novel food product, however, only at low amounts of substitution (25% level). Future research involving sensory evaluation is needed to determine consumer acceptability of these products.