STABILITY OF REDUCED FAT AND SODIUM HAMBURGER

Hamburger is one of the most consumed meat products due to its sensory characteristics and practical preparation. However, it has the disadvantages of having high fat and salt content, which can cause health problems. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of reduced fat and salt levels on the physicochemical characteristics and the sensorial acceptance of hamburgers during frozen storage for 120 days. For this, two treatments were prepared: T1 - without fat and salt reduction (control) and T2 - with fat reduction of 50% + 5% of FOS (Fructooligosaccharides) and with the replacement of 50% of salt by KCl. The hamburgers were evaluated for pH, water activity, lipid oxidation, cooking quality and instrumental color at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 days. The sensorial acceptance was performed through the hedonic scale, just about right scale and purchase intention at 0 and 120 days of storage. The pH increased during storage. For the lipid oxidation, there was an increased in TBARS values with storage time for both treatments. The treatment with fat and salt reduction (T2) had highest TBARS (2-thiobarbituric reactive substances) values when compared to the control treatment (T1) at 0, 30 and 60 days. For the color before cooking, there was a reduction in the value of color component a* with storage. After cooking, the color component L* was lower at 90 days when compared to day 0, while the value of a* increased between the beginning and the end of storage. For the sensorial evaluation, there was a difference in the flavor, texture and overall acceptance attributes, in which the acceptance of the stored treatments was lower than the control treatment (T1) at day 0. The succulence and salty taste reduced the percentage in the "just-about-right" of both treatments. The same reduction was observed for the purchase intention. However, at 120 days, the reduced fat and salt treatment (T2) had a higher percentage in the "purchase" region when compared to the control treatment. The results showed that storage was the primary factor that influenced the physicochemical characteristics, the sensorial acceptance and the purchase intention of the hamburgers. The fat and salt reduction with the inclusion of FOS and KCl had little influence in these characteristics. Moreover, despite the reduction observed in the attributes of flavor, texture and overall acceptance, the averages were maintained in the acceptance region. Thus, there is the need for more studies associated with the storage of this product to ensure the maintenance of its quality during the storage.