Work

From Vegetable Waste to By-Product: Rheological Analysis of a Potential High-Protein Vegetable Burger

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: (1) Foods with attractive shapes have been receiving increasing interest from researchers, particularly for foods for children. The ability to particularize foods by imparting attractive aspects to nutritious and less attractive food ingredients, such as vegetables or proteins, is an interesting challenge for the food industry. In this context, the rheological characteristics of food doughs are fundamental for obtaining form-forming foods that are able to maintain a shape of their own. (2) Broccoli, pumpkin, carrot and zucchini wastes (stems, leaves, and off-gauge veggies), which are still rich in nutrients, from the food industry were used in this work to enrich burgers with vegetable proteins. The doughs were characterized by rheological analysis using a frequency sweep test and a temperature ramp test. They were also shaped with attractive molds and baked. (3) From the frequency sweep test, the formulation with brown rice proteins resulted in better consistency; all samples showed a solid-like behavior. (4) Workable doughs were formulated using vegetal wastes from the food industry. Among the proteins used, those from brown rice were found to be the most suitable for the preparation of a vegetable burger.

Source: Gels

DOI: 10.3390/gels11121017

Authors: Olga Mileti, Francesco Filice, Francesca R. Lupi, Domenico Gabriele, Noemi Baldino

Institution: University of Calabria

Language: English

Topic: Proteins in Food Systems

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534