Chia seeds and goji puree in beef burgers
What it found
In lab tests, beef burgers with chia seeds and goji puree had more polyunsaturated fats and antioxidants, and less fat damage before digestion.
After simulated digestion, fat damage rose in all burgers, especially those with 5% chia seeds.
What they found
Studies in people
Sensory test in people
Young, adult and elderly people tasted four burger types and rated them acceptable. Elderly people gave higher liking scores than younger groups for all sensory qualities.
Other findings
Fatty acid profile
Burgers with chia seeds had two to three times more polyunsaturated fats than control burgers. The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats dropped from 5.67 in control burgers to 0.65 in burgers with 5% chia seeds and 5% goji puree.
Antioxidants before digestion
Before digestion, burgers with both ingredients had up to 70% more polyphenols and antioxidant capacity than control burgers. Fat damage, measured as malondialdehyde, was up to 50% lower in burgers with both ingredients.
Antioxidants after digestion
After lab digestion, polyphenol levels and antioxidant capacity increased in all burgers. However, fat damage also increased in all samples, especially in burgers with 5% chia seeds.
What the authors conclude
- They say chia seeds make it possible to label burgers with EU health claims about fatty acids.
- They suggest that adding antioxidants to meat products could help counteract fat damage during cooking and digestion, but the amount of vegetables added should be carefully controlled to avoid a pro-oxidative effect.
- They note that the burgers were acceptable to all age groups, especially the elderly, and could be a valid meal alternative.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if adding chia seeds and goji puree could improve the nutritional quality and antioxidant properties of beef burgers, and how these ingredients behave during digestion.
They made cooked beef burgers with different amounts of chia seeds and goji puree (2.5% and/or 5%), either alone or combined. They measured fatty acids, polyphenols, antioxidant capacity and fat damage before and after a lab digestion model. They also asked young, adult and elderly people to taste some of the burgers.
What it can’t tell you
- This study used a lab digestion model, not real human digestion, so it cannot show how the burgers affect people's health.
- The sensory test only measured liking, not health effects.
- The long-term effects of eating these burgers are not known.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Italy; University of Gastronomic Sciences, Italy
The paper
- Title
- Nutritional, antioxidant and sensory properties of functional beef burgers formulated with chia seeds and goji puree, before and after in vitro digestion
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Antonini E, Torri L, Piochi M, Cabrino G, Meli MA, De Bellis R (2020). Nutritional, antioxidant and sensory properties of functional beef burgers formulated with chia seeds and goji puree, before and after in vitro digestion. Meat science. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.108021Free full textPubMed 31809915DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error