ENHANCING QUALITY AND TEXTURAL ATTRIBUTES OF BEEF PATTIES USING BLENDS OF WHEAT AND TIGERNUT (CYPERUS ESCULENTUS) FLOUR: A SUSTAINABLE INGREDIENT APPROACH

This study evaluated the use of wheat–tigernut composite flour to enhance the nutritional, textural, and sensory qualities of beef patties with an emphasis on dietary fibre improvement and sustainability. Minced beef was blended with varying ratios of wheat and tigernut flour, shaped into patties, deep-fried, and assessed for proximate composition, colour, texture, and sensory attributes using a 7-point hedonic scale. Results showed that increasing tigernut flour levels elevated fibre, fat, and carbohydrate content, with 100% tigernut patties yielding the highest fibre content. Textural analysis indicated that tigernut addition increased stickiness, chewiness, and gumminess. The blend containing 60% wheat and 40% tigernut (W60T40) achieved the highest overall sensory acceptability (scores ranging from 6.36 to 7.14). Colour changes were also observed with varying tigernut levels. The findings demonstrate that tigernut flour not only enhances the nutritional profile, particularly fibre content, but also contributes to consumer acceptability, offering a functional, sustainable ingredient for healthier meat products. This research supports the development of innovative, fibre-enriched beef patties that align with sustainable food production and healthier dietary patterns.