Pistachio seed hull extracts improve the quality of chicken burgers during storage

Researchers have found that treating chicken burgers with an aqueous extract from pistachio hulls increased its antioxidant activity. The study, which was published in CyTA – Journal of Food, looked at the effects of adding pistachio hull water extracts (PHWE) at different levels on the quality of chicken burgers in cold storage.

• Researchers derived PHWE after grinding the nuts into powder and mixing it with distilled water. The resultant was then centrifuged, then freeze-dried, before use.
• Four different varieties of chicken burgers were prepared: 95 percent minced chicken meat with no pistachio hull water extract; 93 percent chicken meat and two percent extract; 90 percent chicken meat and five percent extract; and 88 percent chicken meat and seven percent extract.
• In the tests, researchers tested the chemical composition and pH levels of both raw and cooked chicken burgers. Evaluations for total plate count (TPC) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values were also conducted. Extracts were also derived from both raw and cooked chicken burgers and evaluated for its total phenolic content.
• In addition, a sensory test of the cooked burgers was performed, with samples graded according to flavor, taste, texture, juiciness, color, and overall acceptability in two testing sessions.
• Based on the results, chicken burgers that have been treated with PHWE had a higher phenolic content than the control. Similar trends were observed in other results, with PHWE-treated burgers having higher cooking yield and moisture retention after storage.
• While all samples had high TPC values at the end of storage – making them unfit for consumption – PHWE-treated burgers had higher TPC values than the control, suggesting an antimicrobial effect.

Researchers concluded that high levels of PHWE would boost antioxidant activity, enhance cooking properties, and reduce lipid oxidation and total plate count in chicken burgers during storage.

Visit this link to read the full text, or go to FoodScience.news to read more studies concerning food.

Journal reference:

Al-Juhami F, Adiamo OQ, Alsawmahi ON, Gahfoor K, Saker MZI, Ahmed M, Babiker EE. EFFECT OF PISTACHIO SEED HULL EXTRACTS ON QUALITY ATTRIBUTES OF CHICKEN BURGER. CyTA – Journal of Food. 2016;15(1):9–14. (2017). DOI: 10.1080/19476337.2016.1193057