Sustainable Preservation of Beef Burgers Using Blueberry

Consumer demand for natural preservatives in processed meat products has prompted research into alternative options that can maintain health and safety standards. In this study, the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of blueberries ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.) (BB) were investigated, and four beef burger formulas were (control beef burger) (C), a beef burger with 0.01% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) (T1), a beef burger with 1% BB (T2), and a beef burger with 1.5% BB (T3). The results revealed that BB contained high levels of total phenolics (435 mg GAE/100g sample, flavonoids (59.76mg Quercetin/ 100g sample), and anthocyanins (173.3mg/ 100g.), making it a promising candidate for use as a natural preservative. Furthermore, incorporating BB into the beef burgers improved all sensory parameters when compared with control, and significantly increased cooking yield, while decreasing cooking loss (p< 0.05). The inclusion of BB also resulted in a clear decrease in the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and peroxide values (p<0.05), indicating its potential as a functional ingredient with preservative ability during meat product processing. Therefore, the use of blueberries as a natural preservative in meat products is recommended as a sustainable alternative to synthetic preservatives.