Use of onion-based biodegradable films for the preservation of beef burgers

Abstract

The high susceptibility of meat products to physicochemical changes, due to their lipid, protein, and amine content, requires strategies to extend shelf life. The use of biodegradable films containing bioactive compounds has emerged as a sustainable alternative for preservation. This study evaluated the effect of two onion based biodegradable films, one made from red onion and another from white onion, along with a control treatment, on the preservation of beef burgers composed of 80 percent beef and 20 percent pork fat during storage. The following quality parameters were analyzed: lipid oxidation, instrumental color, pH, heme iron content, water holding capacity, and cooking loss.

The onion based films showed similar effects in preserving burger quality. They reduced lipid oxidation (P = 0.001) and helped maintain meat brightness (P < 0.001). The pH values remained lower and more stable in the treatments with onion films (P < 0.001), indicating a potential antioxidant and antimicrobial effect. Heme iron content decreased over time in all treatments, but remained more stable with the onion based films, ranging from 10.90 to 18.70 micrograms per gram. Water holding capacity improved with film application (P = 0.025), and cooking loss was lower compared to the control group, which increased from 66.7 percent to 86.99 percent by day nine. In contrast, values for samples with onion based films ranged from 56.09 percent to 69.72 percent (P < 0.001).

The films also contributed to better color stability, higher heme iron retention, and lower cooking loss, indicating protection of myoglobin and improved moisture retention. These benefits are likely associated with phenolic and flavonoid compounds naturally present in onion, which help reduce free radical formation.

In conclusion, biodegradable films made from onion effectively preserved the quality of beef burgers during storage and represent a sustainable alternative to synthetic packaging.