Chia flour as a substitute for pork fat in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fishburgers

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of chia flour (Salvia hispanica L.) as a substitute for pork fat in formulations of fishburgers made with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Five formulations, one control (without the inclusion of the flour) and four with increasing levels of substitution (12.50, 25.00, 37.50, and 50.00 %), were investigated. The inclusion of chia flour provided an improvement in the nutritional profile of fishburgers, with increases observed in the percentages of protein, fibre, and ash, in addition to a reduction in the lipid content and caloric value. In addition to modifying the texture profile, the substitution of dirty fat interfered with the colour of the studied samples, promoting a reduction in luminosity (L*) with increased flour inclusion. There was an improvement in the yield of formulations with higher percentages of chia flour. The lowest reduction in diameter and thickness of the burgers after cooking was observed with more flour. The partial substitution of swine fat with chia flour is a viable alternative to obtain healthier tilapia fishburgers with higher yield.