The Influence of Compositional Changes in Beefburgers on Their Temperatures and Their Thermal and Dielectric Properties During Microwave Heating

This study focused on a microwavable bunburger consisting of a precooked burger in a bread bun. The objective was to assess whether burger formulation changes would affect selected thermal and dielectric properties of the precooked burgers in addition to affecting bunburger temperatures during microwaving. Control burgers and those with elevated fat, water, rusk and salt levels were prepared. Proximal analysis of the raw and precooked burgers revealed a reduction in the fat and moisture content differences following deepfrying. However, burger formulation influenced (P<0.05) the measured thermal and dielectric properties of the precooked burgers in addition to affecting temperatures (P<0.05) from the burger edge and the top and bottom buns. Temperatures from the burger center were not affected (P< 0.05). Adjusting composition does offer the manufacturer a method to alter temperature during microwave heating through the magnitude of the temperature changes observed in this work were small.