Generating Multi-Functional Pulse Ingredients for Processed Meat Products-Scientific Evaluation of Infrared-Treated Lentils

Abstract

In the last decade, various foods have been reformulated with plant protein ingredients to enhance plant-based food intake in our diet. Pulses are in the forefront as protein-rich sources to aid in providing sufficient daily protein intake and may be used as binders to reduce meat protein in product formulations. Pulses are seen as clean-label ingredients that bring benefits to meat products beyond protein content. Pulse flours may need pre-treatments because their endogenous bioactive components may not always be beneficial to meat products. Infrared (IR) treatment is a highly energy-efficient and environmentally friendly method of heating foods, creating diversity in plant-based ingredient functionality. This review discusses using IR-heating technology to modify the properties of pulses and their usefulness in comminuted meat products, with a major emphasis on lentils. IR heating enhances liquid-binding and emulsifying properties, inactivates oxidative enzymes, reduces antinutritional factors, and protects antioxidative properties of pulses. Meat products benefit from IR-treated pulse ingredients, showing improvements in product yields, oxidative stability, and nutrient availability while maintaining desired texture. IR-treated lentil-based ingredients, in particular, also enhance the raw color stability of beef burgers. Therefore, developing pulse-enriched meat products will be a viable approach toward the sustainable production of meat products.

Keywords: fresh meat color; infrared treatment; lentil; lipid oxidation; meat products; pulses.

Figure 1

Outline of processing steps of pulses involved in the production of different pulse-derived ingredients (as defined by the International Pulse Ingredient Consortium [39]).

Figure 2

A schematic diagram (a) and an image (b) of a laboratory scale infrared heat treatment system. (Adapted with permission from Pathiratne [17] and Der personal collection, respectively).

Figure 3

Effect of IR heating on lipoxygenase activity of lentil (one enzyme unit = Δ in abs of 0.001/min). (Reprinted with permission from Der [16]).

Figure 4

(A) Change in HunterLab a* values of raw beef burgers containing dehulled red lentil flour and stored at 4 °C from 0 to 7 days (RLM = red lentil IR-treated; RL = red lentil non-IR-treated). (Reprinted with permission from Der [16]). (B) Color of uncooked beef burgers formulated with green lentil cotyledon flour and hull fiber after a 12-week frozen storage at −18 °C (Control-1: no binder, TWC = toasted wheat crumb, SE = sodium erythrobate, W = whole seed flour, C = cotyledon flour, SC = hull fiber (Adapted with permission from Li [18]).

Figure 5

A summary of observed (and postulated) effects of heat treatment (left) on phenolic compounds and antioxidative and oxidative enzymes within the lentil seed coat (hull fiber) and cotyledon (dehulled seed flour) separately and their effects on the oxidation of oxymyoglobin and unsaturated lipids in a minced meat particle (right). (Adapted with permission from Li [17]).

Figure 6

Contour plot for sensory firmness, chewiness, flavor desirability, and foreign flavor in bologna with added chickpea flour. Firmness: 5 = slightly firm, 4 = slightly soft, and 3 = moderately soft; chewiness: 4 = slightly easy to chew, 3 = moderately easy to chew; flavor desirability: 6 = moderately desirable, 5 = slightly desirable, and 4 = slightly undesirable; foreign flavor: 5 = slightly intense, 4 = slightly weak, and 3 = moderately weak. (Reprinted with permission from Unatrakarn [106]).

Figure 7

Cross-sectional view of cooked chicken bologna. (a) STPP-no binder: 0.3% sodium tripolyphosphate only; (b) STPP+LF: 0.3% sodium tripolyphosphate +6% lentil flour; (c) LF: 6% lentil flour; and (d) LF+SC: 6% lentil flour + 0.6% seed coat. (Reprinted with permission from Pathiraja [81]).