Effects of Replacing Breadcrumbs and Soy Protein with Teff (Eragrostis tef) Flour on Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Typical Hamburgers

Nowadays, interests in ready-to-eat foods, especially ordinary burgers, have increased. To produce typical burgers, breadcrumbs and soybean meals are commonly used as fillers. Use of breadcrumbs and soybean meals in regular burgers limits choice of consumers with allergies. The aim of this study was to produce typical hamburger products by replacing breadcrumbs and soybean meals, which could be used by people with celiac disease and sensitivity to soy protein.

In this study, mixtures of breadcrumbs and soybean meals respectively decreased by 50 and 100% and similar quantities of teff flour were substituted for these mixtures in low-meat hamburgers. Then, physicochemical, sensory  and cooking characteristics of treatments containing teff flour were compared with those of control sample.

The control sample included the highest cooking yield (92.45%) and the lowest moisture retention (68.87%) and TF100% treatment (31.10%) included the lowest oil absorption within all samples (p < 0.05). Samples containing teff flour received a higher score in the characteristics of smell and color. In sensory evaluation no significant differences were observed between the samples in terms of texture, taste and overall acceptance (p > 0.05).

Results of this study showed that replacing breadcrumbs and soybean meals with teff flour in low-meat hamburgers could be appropriate in terms of decreasing fat absorption and improving moisture retention and sensory and