What Is a Burger Made Of?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

Burgers can be made from a wide range of ingredients, from traditional beef to innovative plant-based and low-fat alternatives. The choice of ingredients and their proportions can significantly affect the nutritional profile, sensory attributes, and overall quality of the burger. As consumer preferences continue to evolve, the development of healthier and more sustainable burger options remains a promising area of research.

Burgers are a popular food item enjoyed worldwide, with variations ranging from traditional beef patties to innovative plant-based alternatives. This article explores the diverse ingredients that can be used to make burgers, focusing on both conventional and alternative formulations.

Traditional Beef Burgers

Traditional beef burgers are primarily made from ground beef, which can come from various parts of the cow. The quality and nutritional profile of the beef can be influenced by the animal’s diet and the specific fat depots used. For instance, hamburgers made from triceps brachii and either perirenal fat (PRF) or subcutaneous fat (SCF) show differences in fatty acid profiles and sensory attributes. Feeding steers different diets, such as those including sunflower-seed (SS) or dried distillers’ grain with solubles (DDGS), can further modify these characteristics1.

Alternative Protein Sources

The need for healthier and more sustainable food options has led to the development of burgers made from alternative protein sources. One study explored the use of quinoa, Peruvian Andean corn, and Andean lupine to create a vegetable-based hamburger. These ingredients were chosen for their high protein quality and good sensory acceptance. The resulting burgers were found to be rich in essential amino acids and were well-received by consumers2.

Fat Replacers in Low-Fat Burgers

Reducing the fat content in burgers is another approach to making them healthier. Various studies have investigated the use of fat replacers to maintain the sensory and physicochemical qualities of low-fat burgers. For example, pineapple byproduct and canola oil have been used as fat replacers, resulting in burgers with higher water and fat retention, lower cooking loss, and improved fatty acid profiles4 6. Additionally, the inclusion of carrageenan, texturized soya, and trisodium phosphate has been shown to enhance the sensory properties and reduce oxidative rancidity in low-fat beef burgers5.

Innovative Ingredients

Innovative ingredients such as licuri cake, a biodiesel byproduct, have also been tested as feed additives for cattle. Burgers made from meat of bulls fed with licuri cake showed good overall acceptance and did not negatively impact the quality of the beef burger3. Similarly, the use of sorghum flour, wheat flour, and carrageenan in fish burgers has been explored to improve texture and stability, resulting in a product that is high in protein and low in fat7.