A team of researchers from the State University of Maringa in Brazil looked at the antioxidant potential of freeze-dried green tea in hamburgers. The research team published their findings in the Journal of Food Processing and Preservation.

• Currently, the use of antioxidants by the food industry is done on a large scale, mainly aimed at inhibiting or retarding lipid oxidation.
• This affects the color, flavor, texture, and decreases the nutritional quality of food – all of which reduce the acceptability by consumers leading them to reject the product.
• Most of these antioxidants are also synthetic and many of them are harmful to human health.
• The Brazilian researchers examined the potential use of a natural antioxidant, green tea, as a substitute for synthetic kinds used by the food industry.
• In addition to the antioxidant potential of freeze-dried green tea in hamburgers, the research team examined its effects on the quality characteristics of hamburgers.
• They looked at freeze-dried green tea’s effect on composition, color, texture, pH, microorganisms, and sensory acceptance.
• The total polyphenol, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of freeze-dried green tea were also evaluated.
• For the study, they used five treatments: control, butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), and three different levels of freeze-dried green tea (0.01 percent, 0.02 percent, and 0.04 percent).
• The results showed that treatment with freeze-dried green tea increased the gallic acid and quercetin content of hamburgers.
• Hamburgers treated with freeze-dried green tea also exhibited higher antioxidant activities.
• In addition, treatment with freeze-dried green tea did not affect the moisture, protein, lipid, ashes, calories, microorganism counts, and shear force of hamburger.
• While it did affect the color of the hamburger, the freeze-dried green tea did not influence that sensory acceptability of hamburger.
• The team also found that freeze-dried green tea was more efficient in fighting lipid oxidation in hamburgers than BHT.

Overall, these results suggested that green tea can potentially be used as a substitute for a synthetic antioxidant to inhibit lipid oxidation in foods.

To read more studies on natural antioxidants and their benefits in the food industry, visit Antioxidants.news.

Journal Reference:

Fachinello MR, Vital ACP, Chambo APS, Wielewski P, Matumoto-Pintro PT. EFFECT OF FREEZE-DRIED GREEN TEA ADDED IN HAMBURGERS AS SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANT DURING FREEZING STORAGE. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. 18 October 2018; 42(11): e13780. DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.13780