Effect of clay–graphite susceptor-assisted microwave heating on thermal profiles and quality characteristics of beef hamburgers

This study evaluated the effects of clay–graphite susceptor plates on the microwave heating performance and quality of beef hamburger patties with varying fat contents. Susceptors consisted of a bilayer clay structure containing 3 wt% graphite at the interface. A 2³ factorial design evaluated microwave power (40 and 50%), heating time (1 and 2 min), and fat content (10 and 20%), with microwave heating without a susceptor and air-fryer cooking as reference treatments. Thermal and cooking performance were assessed through temperature measurements, cooking loss, moisture content, dimensional shrinkage, texture, and surface color. Susceptor-assisted treatments raised meat temperature to about 95 °C, with the susceptor surface reaching up to 277 °C. Heating caused cooking loss as low as 35.85%, compared to 41.39% without a susceptor. Moderate treatments kept moisture up to 62.29%, while severe conditions increased hardness and surface browning. Moreover, chemical characterization shows that the susceptor material does not undergo morphological changes after multiple thermal cycles, indicating graphite’s high thermal stability and the absence of significant spectral changes. The clay–graphite susceptor improved surface heating and browning in microwave cooking. Proper time–power settings kept moisture and texture, showing its potential to boost the thermal performance and quality of microwave-cooked meat.