Comparative Evaluation of the Nutritional, Physical and Sensory Properties of Beef, Chicken and Soy Burgers

The sporadic technological advancement witnessed worldwide since the beginning of the twenty first century has encouraged civilization and urbanization culminating into changes in lifestyle from active to sedentary globally. People now prefer instant foods and eating out in different food service units to home cooked meals. Burger is a special delicacy which is seldom prepared at home but commonly purchased from restaurants. The need to encourage human consumption of soybean cannot be over emphasized due to the unrivalled nutritional and health benefits derivable from it especially in combating some communicable diseases, the epidemic of which is becoming alarming globally, hence, harnessing soybean potentials in the production of burger is of pertinent importance. This experimental study was therefore designed to compare the nutritional, physical and sensory properties of soy burger with those of the conventional beef and chicken burgers. Soy cheese was prepared from soybeans using appropriate culinary procedure. Equal portions of minced beef, minced chicken and soy cheese were processed into burgers using basic recipe. Beef, chicken and soy burgers were subjected to proximate, thiamine, riboflavin, cholesterol, colour, texture and sensory evaluation using standard methods. Mean data were compared using Analysis of Variance at p≤0.05. Protein content (Dry Weight Basis) for Beef burger (BB), Chicken Burger (CB) and Soy Burger (SB) were 57.87, 50.36 and 53.89% respectively. In similar sequence fat content were 10.02(BB) 10.15(CB) and 8.58 (SB). SB was significantly higher than the other two samples in crude fibre, riboflavin and niacin while its cholesterol content was negligible. There was no significant difference between SB and CB in lightness and redness while the values for yellowness were 10.60, 25.12 and 18.25 for BB, CB AND SB respectively. In the same vein there was no significant difference in chewiness, cohesiveness and springiness of the three burger samples. For overall acceptability BB was most acceptable followed by SB and then CB. The nutritional, physical and sensory properties of soy burger were comparable to that of beef and chicken burgers, hence, soy burger may compete favourably with the conventional types of burger and is hereby presented as a cholesterol-free alternative with higher health benefits suitable for all even vegans. Household and commercial production and consumption of soy burger is hereby recommended

Fortification of Carbohydrate-rich Foods (Spaghetti and Tapioca Pearls) with Soybean Flour, a Timely and Evergreen Necessity

Abstract The economic meltdown or recession in many parts of the world has subjected many people to food insecurity, hence, there is need to establish effective measures by which food security can be attained, especially among the low income group, even amidst global economic crisis. Soybean being a cheap source of valuable nutrients and phytochemicals has been established to be a functional food. This study was therefore designed to evaluate the nutritional and sensory properties of two commonly consumed carbohydrate-rich foods (Spaghetti and Tapioca pearls) fortified with soybean flour and compare these with that of unfortified samples as well as estimate the nutritional and economic significance. The possibility of incorporating cassava flour in the production of spaghetti was also explored. Cassava four was incorporated in the spaghetti production towards the implementation of cassava flour inclusion policy. Spaghetti was prepared with different blends of wheat flour WF, soybean flour (SF) and cassava flour (CF) and designated thus: Spag 0 (100% WF-control); Spag 1 (90%WF, 5%SF and 5%CF); Spag 2 (80%WF, 10%SF and 10%CF); Spag 3 70%WF, 15%SF and 15%CF) and Spag 4 (60%WF, 20%F and 20%CF). In the same vein Tapioca pearls were prepared using the following cassava starch (CS) and soybean flour(SF) blends; Tap 0 (100%CS); Tap 1 (90%CS and 10%SF); Tap 2 (80%CS and 20%SF); Tap 3 (70%CS and 30%SF) and Tap 4 (60%CS and 40%SF). These were subjected to proximate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin analyses using standard methods. Sensory properties (colour, appearance, flavour, texture, taste, aroma, overall acceptability) were evaluated with twenty trained taste panellists using a 9 point hedonic scale with 1 denoting 'dislike extremely' and 9 denoting 'like extremely'. Mean data were compared using Least Significant Difference at p<0.05. Fortification of spaghetti ad tapioca with soybean flour significantly increased the nutritional and sensory quality appreciably and the inclusion of cassava flour in spaghetti did not adversely affect the quality of the product. Consumption of either of these fortified foods as one of the three square meals a day would make an individual to meet his or her Recommended Dietary Allowance for the nutrients analysed at a relatively lesser cost. Household and commercial production and consumption of soy-spaghetti and soy-tapioca is hereby recommended. However, soybean flour must be processed appropriately in order to exert desirable and favourable expected effect