Comparative Effects of Innovative and Traditional Cooking Methods on Quality Attributes of Tekirdağ Meatballs

Background: Cooking ensures food safety while enhancing flavor and digestibility, though it may also alter properties like color, texture, and cooking loss. Methods: This study examined the effects of oven, air fryer, grill and sous vide methods cooking loss, cooking factor index, color, texture and sensory properties of Tekirdağ meatballs. Results: The samples cooked using sous vide showed the lowest cooking loss, while the samples cooked in the oven and fryer exhibited the highest cooking loss (P<0.05). Although the sous vide cooking technique proved effective in minimizing cooking loss, an important technological characteristic, it was the least preferred group by panelists in sensory analyses (P<0.05). When compared to the other groups, the samples prepared in the air fryer showed the greatest values for resilience, chewiness, cohesiveness, and springiness (P<0.05). Regarding cohesion, chewiness, and resilience, there were no appreciable variations (P>0.05) across the oven, grill, and sous vide techniques. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that each of the four cooking methods exhibited distinct advantages and limitations regarding their impact on various quality attributes. As no single method was superior across all parameters, the selection of an appropriate technique should be guided by the specific quality characteristics desired in the final product.