Use of cherry as a natural antioxidant and its influence on the physicochemical, technological and sensory properties of lamb burgers

Taking into account the current interest in the use of food additives and their replacement with natural bioactive compounds, the objective of this study is to research into the possibilities of using sweet cherry extract in various percentages (2%, 6% and 10%) as an ingredient for the production of lamb burgers. The findings of this study reveal that the addition of cherry extract causes acidification in the burgers and higher weight loss during cooking. The higher the level of cherry that was added into the burgers, the darker they became and the more significant the increase in α-tocopherol content. Total antioxidant activity was progressively increased with higher amount of extract added. According to the preference analysis, the best rated meats were burgers with 10% cherry content in raw meat and burgers with 2% cherry content in cooked meat.